Save Her
by Agrabah's Princess
Summary: Paul doesn't imprint on Rachel. He imprints on a shy girl he sees at a diner in Forks. He instantly knows he needs to save her. But is she stronger than everyone thinks? PaulOC. Rating may change. Less than a year after BD.
1. I Didn't Mean To

AN: Here is my latest Twilight creation! Now, this is canon other than the fact that Paul doesn't imprint on Rachel. It takes place not even a year after Breaking Dawn. I don't want you guys to think Anna is some little girl that needs saving, even if that's what the title says, but its more about Paul's attitude when he imprints on her than what happens to her. Well, you guys will see soon anyway, I hope you like this and I'll be updating The Family Legacy next! Enjoy!

Chapter One

I Didn't Mean To

I don't even remember why I was even in Forks. Sam and Jared couldn't even figure it out. We were probably hungry since we were gathered in one of the few diners in the small town. We were crammed into one of the tables in the back stuffing our faces full of pancakes even though it was five in the afternoon. The place was loaded with teenagers since it was so close to the high school and school had let out an hour ago.

I was through my second plate and forcing down the last of the three pancakes from my third plate, trying to ignore all the other teenagers and Jared trying to talk through a mouthful of food, and I saw _her_.

She was one of those people you don't notice until you make eye contact. She was busing some nearby tables, balancing a bin full of dishes that was half her size. She couldn't have been taller than five foot six and I doubt she weighed more than a hundred and ten pounds soaking wet. She was a mousy girl dressed in shabby clothes a few sizes to big for her and messy light brown hair pulled into a haphazard ponytail and big blue eyes spotted with specks of brown. She was a mess, but she was beautiful.

Our eyes only met for a moment before she ducked her head and walked away from the table and toward me, probably for the kitchen but I didn't care. In that one second my whole world was spun on its axis and when it stopped it centered itself on _her_. The anger that seemed to sink to my bones disappeared while I admired the girl I never would have seen if it wasn't for being a werewolf.

She didn't try to look at me again and busied herself with organizing the dishes in her bin. She passed my table and I turned in my seat to watch her. She was steps away from the door leading to the kitchen when one of the fuck head teenagers stuck his foot out and tripped her.

She fell almost in slow motion. Damn near everyone in the back of the diner laughed immediately while she was on her knees on the floor. I jumped up and tried to launch myself at the group of jackasses but Sam jumped with me and grabbed me. Those assholes were so busy laughing at_ her_, my new reason for life, that they didn't even notice Sam struggling to get me out of the diner while Jared paid for our meal.

"What's your problem Paul?!" Sam yelled as he tried to push me through the parking lot to get away from witnesses.

I was shaking, my jaw was wound so tight I couldn't say anything and all I wanted to do was break through the iron grip Sam and Jared had on both of my arms and strangle the teenagers that hurt my imprint.

"Sam, I think he imprinted on that bus-girl." Jared muttered. Just the fact that I didn't know her name sent a fresh wave of rage through me.

I tried to wrench my arms from my brothers' grip but they wouldn't give. "Shit," Sam hissed as they pushed me into the woods.

I don't think I had ever phased so fast in my life. The shreds that used to be my clothes couldn't cover half of my foot. I snuck around Sam and Jared until I found of a view of the back door of the diner. _She_ came shuffling out a few seconds later, struggling with a bag of trash while she tried to wipe away the few stray tears on her cheeks.

I almost phased back to run up to her but Jared and Sam had phased, saving their clothes first, and stepped in front of me.

_Don't, not now!_ Sam warned while he used his head to push me back. I was pushing him forward with all my strength and I was actually succeeding.

_I'm going to kill those bastards._ I had always been an angry person but there was no way I had ever felt the rage I had when I thought of all their faces.

_Paul if you go back in there as a man or a wolf, you'll scare her off forever._ Jared was trying to show me reason, it wasn't really working.

_You don't know that!_ I started shaking. I couldn't stand around and do nothing.

From Sam's mind I could see the night he attacked Emily and the whole memory made me shudder. _You want to test that?_

I looked over to my imprint as she rubbed her eyes furiously and tried to straighten her ponytail. The damn teenagers made her cry, either from hurting her or upsetting her. I tried to step out from the woods but Jared and Sam stopped me again.

_Just wait Paul!_ Jared yelled impatiently.

_She's going back into the diner with those stupid teenagers!_ I snarled and glanced back at _her_ and watched as she picked up random pieces of garbage and threw them away.

_I know, but it's her job, she survived alright without you until now._ Sam had a point and I hated it. My whole entire being screamed for me to follow her and make sure no one ever harmed her again.

I focused my attention on _her_, eventhough it had never left her, and watched as she fussed with her clothes, trying to wipe off the dark stains on her baggy jeans and smooth her wrinkled dark blue shirt. When she seemed to accept her appearance she turned and walked back into the diner, slapping a forced smile on her face.

_We'll go back to the Rez. You can follow her until she falls asleep then come back, and don't show yourself to her as human or wolf then we'll meet up later. _Sam said it in his 'Alpha voice' forcing me to fall to my knees in submission. It was an order I could live with. For now.

Jared and Sam phased back right next to me and pulled their clothes back on. "Paul," Sam said sternly. I snapped my head toward him for a second. "Don't attack anyone either, or you will live to regret it." He said knowingly. I didn't do anything as they walked back to my truck and drove off.

I stood rigidly in the woods, watching the door like it might attack me. From where the sun was in the sky I guessed it was eight at night when _she_ came out the back. A few other waiters came out with her and almost shoved her out the door. I growled lowly and dug at the ground with my claws. I was starting to get the impression I was the only one who actually saw her.

The waiters went to the parking lot while _she_ went to a run down mountain bike chained to a pipe. She put the chain her green backpack, it was the only thing on her that was still in good condition, and hopped on the bike and started riding for town. I followed her as she pedaled on the side of the road, it was easy to keep pace except with for when I had to cross a road or backyard.

She looked too small to be able to ride her bike five miles in the spitting rain. I couldn't feel the rain on me but _she_ had started to shiver. I wanted to snatch her off her bike and carry her, just so that I might keep her warm. She almost got hit by a car twice. I couldn't understand how they wouldn't be able to see her. She was so pale her skin almost glowed in the darkness. I damn near ran into a couple of trees I was so busy watching her but it seemed like no one else would.

She finally started slowing down after a little over five miles of biking and about forty-five minutes. The house she rode up to was small and run down with a crappy car in the drive way. I could hear fighting inside the house and she could to. She looked wearily at the house then pushed her bike around the side of the home and to the backyard. In the backyard was a shed that was in better condition than the house. She parked her bike on the side of the shed, chained it up and threw a plastic covering over it. She walked to the door of the shed, which had two outside pad locks, unlocked it and slipped in.

The shed was tucked in the corner of the yard and was surrounded by woods on two sides so it was easy for me to find somewhere for me to hide and still look in through the small back window.

From what I could see inside there was a dresser crammed against the wall the door was on and it was jutting into the doorway a little on top of it were stacks and stacks of books. On the other side of the door was a small bed piled with blankets. There was only one light in the place and it looked like it was on a desk under the window, because she was unloading her backpack onto it, but I couldn't see it. There was a small generator behind the shed, and that's probably what she used for power because I couldn't see any cords coming from the house.

I wasn't quite decided on whether I should be pissed she was sleeping in a shed because the back of the house was missing two windows and the paneling was falling off. The shed was about as big as they come and from the looks of it had even been dry-walled. It wasn't a pro job, but it was adequate. She looked like she was safer in the shed for the moment.

She started undressing and I looked down at my paws for a moment. As much as I would have loved to see my imprint undress, if Sam found out, he'd kill me. I counted to fifty and glanced back up through the little window and she was wearing a long, tattered, old gray shirt. It almost looked worse than my clothes after I phase with them on. She at least looked like she was warming up because she stopped shivering and her cheeks gained some color. She also had a hint of a smile on her pale pink lips.

I relaxed a little more seeing her so much more content then I had seen her before. She sat at her desk and started reading her text books. I was thankful the chair was high enough so that I could still see her face.

I watched her for a long time. It must have been three hours before she even started showing signs of actually being tired. After her fifth yawn in a row she finally left her home work and lay down on her cot like bed. I had to move a little closer to be able to see her as she slipped under her covers. Just as she closed her eyes and looked like she was ready to sleep peacefully there was another loud fight from the house. I didn't care what was going on over there, so long it didn't spill over to her shed. Her eyes flew open and they were filled with fear.

I felt a fresh wave of anger flow over me. It didn't take a genius to figure out it was her parents in the house fighting, I had heard it enough in my youth, and I wasn't stupid enough to think she was scared of the dark. She buried her face in her pillow and I could hear her sobs and see her thin body shake. All I wanted to do was comfort her some how because there was no way I'd be able to leave if she fell asleep crying.

In an impressive stroke of genius I crept away from her shed and closer to the house, as close as I felt comfortable, and howled loudly. I could hear the couple inside jump and even start whispering fearfully. I trotted back to my spot in front of her window happily and looked back in. She was sitting up now, straining to listen. She wasn't afraid now, just curious. After a few minutes of silence she lay back down and closed her eyes.

Her parents weren't fighting, they were barely speaking, probably still too scared. I waited impatiently, hoping she would fall asleep before the idiots in the house started fighting again. It could have only been five minutes tops, but she was asleep, peacefully so. Her eyebrows were furrowed in her sleep and I don't think there could be another way for her to be anymore beautiful.

_Paul, we have patrol._ It was Jared. He was wary and had every right to be. There was not a single part of me that wanted to leave the view I had of my imprint. But I had to.

I pulled myself away from _her_ begrudgingly, looking over my shoulder every few feet to make sure she was still asleep.

_She'll be fine, don't worry so much._ Jared was trying to calm me down. It wasn't working.

_You did the same thing after you imprinted on Kim, don't fucking start._ I snarled as I jogged faster toward him.

_Take the east boundary, I'll take the south._

We didn't say anything to each other from then on. I didn't really care much, I was too worried about _her_. I still didn't even know her first name. I was at least hoping to hear it in passing but nothing. It was all I could think about the whole time I ran through my side of the boarder.

Six hours later I my mind hadn't strayed far from _her_ all the while. Jared was too busy thinking about Kim to care. Of course he would be able to see her soon and hold her and kiss her without issue.

I still hadn't figured out how I was even going to talk to _her_.

I had never been this bad with girls. I was always a ladies man, but this is different. This is my soul mate. I can't use cheesy pick-ups with my soul mate. I don't want to use her for a one night stand. I want her for the rest of my life. I wasn't going to try and get her into bed like I had been with other girls since I was fourteen. I was going to do this the right way. To bad I didn't have a clue how to do that…

I knew I would have to resort to asking Sam for help. I wasn't looking forward to that. I wasn't going to ask anyone else because it's bad enough that I have to ask for help, it would only make it worse if I talked to Jared, Quil or Jake about it. Hell, Quil and Jake imprinted on kids! I didn't need to know how to braid hair, I needed to know how to tell my imprint the truth without sending her screaming.

Our patrol was over and we had walked back to our houses. I phased as soon as I smelt my mom, not saying anything to Jared. I walked through the woods butt naked and thought about how to approach the situation with Sam. I'd have to ask him in the morning before school. It wasn't like I'd be sleeping much tonight anyway. My imprint was fifteen miles away, sleeping in a shed. I'd be lucky if I could force myself to lie in my bed for more than twenty minutes throughout the night.

I came across the backyard I shared with my mom and dug out the spare shorts I kept in an empty cooler behind one of the many trees. Once I was covered I walked out into my backyard and saw Sam waiting on my back porch. Well, that's one less thing I have to do in the morning.

"Don't even think about it." Sam growled seriously.

"About what?" I ground out. We didn't have to be phased for me to know what he was thinking about, but I wasn't going to make it easy for him.

"I'm not stupid Paul!" Sam bellowed loudly and angrily. I felt my skin prickle and I had to stop myself from snarling at my Alpha. "I know you just imprinted on girl that could only be described as abused." He informed me.

"So what am I not supposed to think about? Getting her outta there?" I asked rhetorically. He already knew.

"Yes!" He yelled frustrated. We both tensed as we felt a yelling match progress into an all out brawl. Sam took a deep breath and looked at me without anger in his eyes. "I asked around while you and Jared were patrolling, her name is Anna Roland and she'll be eighteen in six months." As he said the sentence I felt all the anger slip away.

I was almost frozen as I thought back to her. Her name fit her well but she looked younger than seventeen. Then again that could be because she so small.

"I'm not telling you to leave her alone, I'm asking you not to do anything stupid." Sam was damn close to begging and if we were on a lighter subject I would have teased him for it. "You can tell her our secret, hell you can make it a musical, but don't do anything without proper cause." He said firmly.

"What are you a lawyer now?" I asked with a snort.

"No, I'm making sure I don't have to get you one!" He yelled seriously. I lost some of my attitude then. I really hate lawyers thanks to my mother's choice in boyfriends. "If her parents hurt her or try to hurt her, I'm not even going to try to tell you what to do, but until then watch, don't act." He ordered.

I nodded stiffly and guess he accepted the answer because he turned and left. I didn't want to listen to him but I did. I forced myself to think about seeing Anna again tomorrow to make sure I actually walked into my house.

Inside it was quiet, even though Mom would be waking up soon and going to work. She had gotten used to my schedule, probably more than me. Then again we've been living off weird schedules all my life.

I grabbed some left-overs from the kitchen and damn near swallowed them whole. After a quick shower I forced myself to walk into my room. I was still so agitated I couldn't sit still so I cleaned the mess my room was hidden under. That only killed half an hour before I was pacing again, remembering that Anna was sleeping in a shed and the weather was starting to get colder.

I stopped in my tracks when I thought about her. Anna. So simple, so beautiful. It matched her perfectly. Just thinking about her name calmed my paranoia for a second or two. Then I was reminded that she was still in a shed and I was here, ordered by my Alpha to leave her alone for the night.

I spent the rest of the morning praying to anyone that would listen that Anna's parents didn't do anything stupid. I would protect her until my dying days but I didn't want to have to face Sam if I did have to kill those parents of hers. Don't even get me started on the scum-bags she works with or the jackasses she has to clean up after.

I thought about all the people I could ask to give her a job, somewhere closer to me and with fewer idiots and preferably no men. Sadly, I couldn't find any. With a deep scowl I resigned myself to letting her continue to work at that little hell-hole. I would, of course, have to watch her every second she's there to make sure no one hurts her. Or hurt them when Sam isn't looking.

My alarm clock started going off at eight o'clock on the dot and strode to the bathroom. I still had to go to school. Just three more classes to finish and I'd be done. I would have all the time in the world to straggle shithead teenagers. And make sure no one laid a hand on Anna. Or looked at her wrong. Yeah, I'm a little possessive of Anna but she's mine. Or, she will be. Doesn't really make me sound less like a stalker but all I want is for her to be happy and from what I've seen, she isn't all that happy so maybe having a possessive stalker like werewolf will help… Or at least keep her safe.

AN: Review!


	2. Handle With Care

AN: Thanks for all the positive reviews guys! I didn't know how everyone would take a non-canon pairing, but I'm really glad you liked the first chapter! Just so everyone knows, its about September in this story. The next chapter should be out soon-ish. The story will most likely be all Paul's POV, until the very last chapter or epilogue, which ever I do. Enjoy!

Chapter Two

Handle With Care

I would have ditched school if Sam didn't show up and drag me to class personally. The bastard had mind reading powers when we weren't even phased. I paid no attention to anyone in the school. I think I might have flipped off a teacher but ever since I grew six inches and gained seventy-five pounds of muscle, they really don't pick on the little things any more.

I did however have to deal with two girls that I had made plans with for Friday, tomorrow, and had to turn them down without making them cry. I hate it when chicks cry. I had never felt so much guilt when I thought about what I would have done with those two if I hadn't imprinted on Anna. And she'd still be in a shed with no one to watch out for her.

Since I only have three classes I only have half a day of school. After lunch I drove down to Forks and to the diner and waited until school let out.

Yeah, I know, I'm still a stalker. But it could be worse, I could be outside her classroom window counting down the seconds. But Sam had already ordered me not to. Three and a half hours later Forks High School let out and the fuck-face teenagers where filling the diner. I sat in my truck fidgeting as Anna rode her bike around the back, where I had parked, and chained her bike to the same pipe before going in through the back.

I had to use all the control that was in me not to fly out of my truck and take her away. Far away. Where there were no teenagers. Well, other than us, I guess. She was wearing jeans, that didn't look much different from the pair she wore the other day, and a gray shirt that fit her a little better. She still looked too small and fragile. I'm afraid to breathe on her in fear that I would hurt her.

She didn't go inside immediately. She leaded against the back of the building with a notebook and she looked like she started doing her homework. I was impressed to say the least, I can't do my homework without my mom hovering over me. I was almost hoping she would go in because I was clawing through the seat of my car trying to stop myself from getting out.

Sam better be fucking proud. And the next time I see him I'm throwing him down just to get out all of this pent up… whatever it is. That is, if I can step away from Anna long enough. Just thinking about leaving her made my stomach flop and my fingernails start to grow into claws. I had to remind myself that I wasn't going anywhere soon just to make sure I didn't tear my truck into shreds.

No one in either of the two packs would be surprised if I did, but everyone in the diner would sure be confused to see a pick-up truck sliced like fresh baked bread. I could hear Sam yelling at me now. And I haven't done anything yet. I should really spend less time around them all it starts to get pathetic when I know what they will do in situations that haven't even happened.

Four o'clock rolled around and Anna put her book away into her bag and walked into the diner. I turned off my truck and jumped out and stuffed my keys in my pocket, making sure I had some cash in my pockets as well. I tried to walk as casually as I could to the diner and had to fight with the teenagers to get a booth near the kitchen doors. It wasn't much of a fight since they looked at me then ran.

The waitress came up and tried to flirt with me. Yesterday I had flirted with her a little, and now I couldn't care less about her because I knew Anna was in the room behind me. I ordered a burger and waited for Anna to come out of the kitchen. The booth next to me was full of girls that were giggling in my direction. I had half a mind to scare the piss out of them when Anna walked out.

She had a dark apron on over her shirt and her hair was tied back again. The bin she rested on her hip still made her look like a stick figure but just seeing her calmed me down. I lost the urge to massacre the whole place and watched my imprint intently. She started cleaning two spots on the bar and the football team started filing through the diner and almost knocked her over the bar.

The bottom of the table I sat at now had permanent marks of my fingers on it. I would have chucked the table at the band of idiots if one of the trailing football players hadn't helped her back on her feet. I didn't like the fact that he was touching my imprint either but it was better than her getting tossed around.

I got my burger and soda and watched as Anna went through the tables and cleared off all the dishes. She piled the bin to a ridiculous height and as she was walking back to the kitchen a table of assholes close to me started muttering. I knew what they were going to try and do and I glared them down before they could even form the plan. A few of them recoiled under my stare and Anna made it through safely.

As she passed me I couldn't help but take a deep breath of her scent. She smelled like mountain air and paper. All I wanted to do was follow her into the kitchen but I stopped myself again. This time it felt like I was punched in the gut when I didn't follow my instincts. The carnal urge to seek out Anna hurt a lot more to shoot down than to kill people for looking at her wrong.

I ate my burger sourly and waited for her to come back out. This whole, sit-back-and-do-nothing, approach was fucking crap. I have next to no patience in daily life, but when I want something, well, let's just say, I've got a lot less than no patience. As if on cue Anna walked back out from the kitchen with a different bin and started collecting dishes.

I was amazed how just seeing her made all my anger go away. All the bitter words and promises for pain fly out the window just because she walked into the room. She of course wasn't paying any where near as much attention to me. The only thing she had been looking at consistently was the floor and the dishes.

Just like yesterday no one paid her any attention unless they were cooking up something cruel for her. I stopped them with well aimed snarls. She was on her fourth bin full of dishes when she walked toward the kitchen then stopped right next to me.

Her back was turned to me and I could watch her without being caught. The shirt she was wearing made her look even smaller. Or maybe it was because she was inches away from me. I think I could have looped my finger through the belt loops of her jeans and tugged her up and over the table without a problem. I didn't hate how small she was, I just really wished she had more meat on her bones. I wouldn't be so afraid that someone would come along and snap her in half if she weighed more than table I sat in.

She tried to hike the bin higher on her hip with her knee but she only lost her balance and fell. Right into my lap. I thanked whatever gods there were that she landed mostly on my leg and that she landed on me and not anyone else. She wasn't as boney as she looked, but she was still so small it was almost like there was nothing on my leg at all. It was probably not even five seconds later when she left my lap. I tried my hardest not to frown.

Anna struggled with the bin and looked at me apologetically. "I'm so sorry." She said frantically.

I stood and grabbed the bin from her and helped her balance it. The top of her head came to my chin and looking down at her made her even smaller. She looked up at me almost fearfully and I nearly choked on air. "Its okay," I said trying not to sound as upset as I was.

Her big hazel eyes lost the fear and apology and instead looked up me confused. There must have been something I did that she didn't understand and I really didn't care, this was time for me to be close to her that didn't involve stalking. Her lips pursed, just like they did last night, and I almost fell into them.

The stupid manager ruined everything by storming up to us and yelling at my imprint. "Anna! Get those to the back!" She scrambled into the kitchen and my fingers twitched to rip out his tongue. I turned slowly to face him as my hands turned into fists and I started to shake. "I apologize for her. She's good at her job, just horrible at walking. Your meal is on us." The manager patted my shoulder and went back to the bar.

I took in five deep breaths to stop myself from phasing, yelling, or fighting. "Thanks," I ground out to no one and sat back down.

Not much longer my waitress came up to my table and refilled my soda. "Sorry about her. I don't even know why Scott hired her all she does is cause trouble." The brunette said rolling her eyes. I wanted to rip them out of her head.

"Last I checked getting tripped and shoved by jackass' is something you don't control." I growled.

The waitress swallowed loudly and looked down at the pitcher of soda. "Would you like anything else?" She asked quietly.

"No," I answered sharply. She flitted off a second later and I was thankful. Everyone here was starting to get on my nerves.

An hour later while I still watched Anna work the diner started to empty. A few girls tried to flirt and I wasn't gentle when I turned them down. My good will only extends to the girl carrying the dishes. Around six-thirty the diner had thinned out so much three waiters were sent home. They had a weird dinner rush. I was pretending to text on my cell phone when the manager went stalking into the kitchen.

I head him yelling at Anna and another bus-boy about no one being in the diner so one of them could go home. I saw the bus-boy dart out of the kitchen a second later. The manager came out sulking and Anna followed with her bin. There was only me and an old man in the diner but a few tables were still dirty with dishes so she started out in the front and worked her way back.

It was easier to watch her without so many people in the diner. The waiters had disappeared and so did the manager. The old man at the bar was reading his newspaper and couldn't care less if a bomb went off behind him. Between picking up the dishes and wiping off the tables Anna would look over at me as discreetly as possible. I probably wouldn't have noticed, if I wasn't staring at her.

She blushed every time she found my eyes. I felt more and more at ease. Time trailed on as I continued to watch her and soon it was eight. I heard her tell the manager she would see him tomorrow and I had to rush to my truck from there. I didn't bother to leave the waitress a tip, she insulted my imprint she's lucky to be standing on her own.

When I got to my truck Anna still wasn't out of the restaurant so I was able to start it and look casual… ish. A few minutes later she came out and started unlocking her bike from the pole before stopping. She looked frustrated so I rolled down my window and listened in.

"Great," I heard her soft, musical voice mumble. She crouched down next to her bike and I tried to focus on what she was looking at rather than her butt.

Once I got a hold of myself I saw the chain of her bike was missing. I already knew it was the fucking teenagers. I put a cap on my anger and slipped out of my truck and walked toward her. She didn't notice me as I walked up to her.

"Need some help?" I asked casually which was the complete opposite of my actual mood at the moment.

Her head snapped to me and she looked bewildered as she got to her feet. It still didn't make her much taller. "Oh, um, not really." She answered awkwardly.

"Not really?" I asked trying not to sound as amused as I was. She looked like a deer caught in head lights and still looked beautiful.

"Its ok-kay, I'll be fine." She stammered.

I leaned down dramatically to look where the chain was missing from and looked between the bike and her. She swallowed hard and looked away from me. I felt my gut twist seeing how uncomfortable she was around me. "I could have sworn bikes don't work very well without chains." I said almost sarcastically as I stepped back from her.

She sighed heavily. "You're not the only one." She muttered.

"I can give you a ride to the bike store." I offered with a nod to my truck.

"I have another chain, it's at my house, but I can get it." She said shaking her head.

All I could think about was her walking the almost six miles to her crazy parents and her shed. Not to mention the idiot drivers that would run her over. "Sure you don't need a ride?" I asked again, trying not to sound as desperate as I was.

I watched as she looked between my truck and toward the direction of her home. I prayed that she would actually accept my offer and I wouldn't have to stalk her back to her house. Again. "Okay," She said almost defeated.

I smiled as smally as I could without looking like an idiot and picked the bike up easily and carried it toward my truck.

"I can do that." She said as she followed me.

I seriously doubted she could carry the bike like I was, but then again I've been surprised by smaller girls. "Not a problem," I said casually as I set it in the bed of my truck.

I walked around to the passenger side and opened the door for her, I could have sworn I saw her blush when she got into the truck. I tried not to smirk as I walked to my side of the truck and fold in. I started the truck and started pulling out of the parking lot. I was about to head down the road she did last night when I remembered I don't want her to know I'm a stalker.

"Where do you live?" I asked while I drove out of the parking lot and toward the only exit out.

"Take a right." Anna said quietly, pointing down the street.

Anna mostly guided me with small sentences, 'turn here', 'next street', 'house with no garage'. I hadn't actually noticed her house didn't have a garage until she pointed it out. It was hard not to stare at her while I drove. She was very quiet and tense. She looked out the windshield stiffly and didn't even glance in my direction. I wasn't going to complain though. I was driving my imprint home instead of following her and watching her get frost bite.

It was raining a little harder than yesterday when I pulled into her driveway, and there was no crappy car and I couldn't hear anyone in or around the house. Anna let out a long, relieved sigh and I almost did the same. She was out of the car no sooner than after I parked it and I followed just as quickly to make sure I'd be the one to get the bike out of the back. She gave me a face when I reached the bike before her and I smiled triumphantly.

"Where do you want it?" I asked as I set it on the ground.

"Over by the shed." She said pointing to her canary yellow shed.

I pushed the bike to the shed with her and watched as she pulled out her keys and unlocked the shed and slipped in discretely, trying to make sure I couldn't see in. I already knew what was in there anyway. I waited for a few seconds and she came back out with a chain. I held my hand out for it and she gave it to me, very begrudgingly.

I knelt down and put the chain on while Anna held the bike steady. I took my time with the chain and thought of anyway I could stay longer, with her. I didn't want to leave her, not when I just started talking to her.

"How are you with math?" I asked suddenly. Truthfully, I don't even know where the question or the train of thought came from, but I seriously didn't care.

"I have a ninety-five percent in my Pre-Calc class." She answered confused. I was impressed.

I finished with the chain, since I have something else to talk to her about. "So, tutoring my dumbass in Algebra wouldn't be that hard for you?" I asked as I stood up.

"Well, I don't know if I'd be any help." She muttered, looking down at her feet.

"Did you pass your Algebra class?" I asked.

"Yes," She answered still bashful.

"Then you'll be able to help." I told her knowingly.

She made a thinking face and I had to tell myself not to kiss her. "I can only do it on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday." She said then paused. "And it can't be here." She added firmly.

"My mom would love to see me actually working, if that's okay with you." I said cautiously.

She nodded. "Could you pick me up? I don't think I can ride all the way to La Push."

Like I'd let her bike all the way up to the Rez. "No problem." I reassured her easily. "I don't have much to pay with, but I can offer my handyman services." I said pointing to the bike.

"How are you with cars?" She asked hopefully.

"I rebuilt my truck." I answered pointing over my shoulder.

"I have a car, but it doesn't run. I can get all the parts you need, but I can't afford labor, so if you can help me get it running, I'll help you for as long as you need me." She explained.

I almost skipped. "Deal." I said with a grin. "I'm Paul by the way." I said holding out my hand.

She looked a little nervous when she reached out and shook my hand and I made sure to be as gentle as possible. "Anna," She said after she dropped my hand. "I have homework to do, so, I'll meet you at the corner store around nine Sunday morning?" She asked anxiously.

"Works for me." I said smiling widely, I couldn't help myself now.

"Bye," She said shortly and turned to start chaining her bike to the shed. I left against my instincts, knowing she didn't want me to see her go into the shed.

I got back to my truck and drove away from my imprint feeling a little more at ease. I wouldn't see her for a few hours, but I would be okay. I still had her smell in my truck as I drove home and it kept me calm. I'd probably sleep in here tonight. When I got home I saw my mom's car and realized an important fact. I hadn't told my mother, who I haven't seen in two days, that I imprinted. Crap.

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	3. It Doesn't Help

AN: Hi there! If any of you guys follow my other stories then you know, this one is getting updated more than the others. Since it is a baby and still getting developed I'm giving it more attention then the others, but with the next chapter or so the updates will slow down. I know, it sucks, but I have to be fair! Thank you all for the reviews, I love them all and you are all so wonderful! Enjoy!

Chapter Three

It Doesn't Help

The high I had been riding quickly plateaued when I realized I still hadn't told my mother a very important fact. Mom knew all about imprinting and couldn't wait for the day it happened to me. Mostly because she really didn't like the girls I brought to the house. It didn't matter much because none of them stayed for more than a night. With a huff I finally got out of my truck and trudged into the house.

"Is that my son I hear?" I heard my mom say sarcastically from the kitchen. I shuffled into the large room and plopped down into one of the chairs in the breakfast nook.

"Funny Ma," I mumbled, folding my arms on the table then resting my head on them. I was tired now that I was finally able to spend time with Anna and not stalk her.

"You look hungry, do you want anything special?" She asked as she started digging through the fridge.

I looked up at my mom as she stepped away from the fridge to look at me. She's in her early forties but doesn't look it. She's also shorter than Anna, athletic build and cropped black hair. To my chagrin my mom still gets a lot of guys, she is my beautiful mother after all. And no man is good enough for her. "Whatever is fine with me." I answered with a shrug.

"So, Sam dropped by a few hours ago." She said offhand while she chopped up carrots.

Shit. I tensed and glanced at my mother back. "What did he want?" I asked calmly.

"Nothing much, find out where you were." She said casually. She was torturing me and she knew it. "He did let something slip about a girl named Anna." She said twirling the knife she had like it was a finger and not a deadly weapon.

I mumbled a slur of curses at my Alpha under my breath.

"I tried to see if there was something special about her, but he would answer and left in a hurry." She was dragging it out, trying to get me to crack early, but I stood – slumped – strong. "Would you like to tell me what's going on?" She finally asked when I didn't blurt out the truth.

I sighed. "I imprinted." I told her tiringly.

She perked up instantly. "Really?" She asked smiling.

I almost rolled my eyes but resisted. "Yes," I breathed.

She crossed the kitchen quickly and smacked me up-side the head. "And why am I the last to know?" She asked frustrated.

"We haven't really crossed paths." I grumbled, rubbing my head where she hit me.

"I'm your mother, I should have a path of my own." She told me sternly, pointing the knife at me to solidify her point. I nodded apologetically and she went back to chopping vegetables. "So, when do I get to meet her?" She asked excitedly.

"Sunday, she's helping me with Algebra." I answered, laying my head completely on the table.

"I think I'm going to like her." I heard my mother say happily before I slipped into a quick nap.

Mom asked me the simple questions about Anna which were easy enough to answer even half asleep, but I had to remind her that I didn't know what her favorite color was, or when her birthday was because we only talked for a grand total of five minutes. She also made plans to have Sunday off just so she could clean and make a big lunch for the both of us after I told her Anna was on the thin side. Mom is one of those people that will feed you as soon as you come in the door if she thinks you're too thin.

After our pseudo meal I told Mom I was most likely not sleeping in my room and she just nodded before settling in her room with a book and I went to the backyard and phased to meet up with Sam for a scheduled patrol. I didn't feel him phase with me until the very last minute.

_Thanks for ratting me out_. We were both running the same direction, toward the center of the Rez.

Sam felt entirely apologetic. The same thing happened when he imprinted on Emily. _I thought you told her._

_When have I seen her?!_ He should know better, seriously.

_Well, she knows now._

I growled. _I'm going to need Sunday, Monday and Tuesday's off._ I made sure he could feel my deep desire to kick his ass at the moment if he tried to refuse me.

_Anna's days off, huh? _I didn't say anything, but I knew he could feel my annoyance at the fact that he was just snooping around my thoughts. _We can work something out._

_I'll talk to Embry and Seth, they still haven't imprinted yet. _

I could feel Sam laugh. _Take the south boarder, I'll go north._

We separated and went to our boarders. I felt Quil join us sometime later and he was exhausted from playing with Claire all day and didn't say anything. After Jake imprinted on Nessie, Sam and Jake made a sort of pact and now we can all hear each other again. It was nice having five voices absent, but they are still part of the pack and though I'll never say it or think it. I might have missed them.

We didn't say anything to each other at all. We barely thought anything toward each other. Sam was occupied with something about Emily, I didn't notice I was blocking it out. Quil was thinking about Claire, no surprise, I blocked that out as much as I could as well. Leah would be joining us in a few hours and I basked in the silence of my brothers thinking only of their imprints.

Since I was running south, I ran right passed Forks and my imprint. It was hard trying to stop myself from splitting off my path and taking my old spot behind Anna's shed. Sam caught what I was thinking about doing.

_Two sweeps and you can go where ever you want._ He was trying to motivate me, but I didn't need it.

I tried not to growl. I wasn't angry, I was just impatient. I wanted to be back with her. Around her. Hearing her breathe. Anything. I just needed to see her and know she was okay. Even if I saw her not two hours ago. I had just imprinted on her, it was all too fresh for me not to want to be around her constantly.

Quil asked about Anna while we ran, nothing probing or rude. Just simple questions. He was trying to fill the silence and not think about the fact that Claire was going to the Makah Rez for the whole weekend. I felt bad for him so I kept a sort of conversation going with him and Sam. I didn't mind talking about Anna and he needed it, so I'm just being a good friend, not obsessing.

We finished our patrol and Leah, Embry and Seth phased just before I was at Anna's. There was no way I was going home unless ordered. I didn't hear anything from them because the minute I caught a whiff of Anna's scent, I phased back. I jumped into my shorts and ran for her backyard.

As a precaution, whenever we sleep close to human's we phase out of wolf. It's easier to explain if we get caught and we don't run the risk of viciously attacking anyone. I climbed up the tree that hung over Anna's shed and looked in through the window.

It was dark inside, but I could still see. Anna was buried under her blankets and was in a peaceful sleep. I felt a little more at ease. I'd prefer to be a substitute for the blankets, but this'll do. For now. Her parents were back, and in the house. Her father was snoring like a drunken sailor. Then again the smell of cheap whiskey was pouring off the house, so he was most likely drunk.

I couldn't hear her mother and truthfully, I didn't care. They weren't anywhere near Anna and that's all I cared about. I went back to watching Anna as she slept. Most of her face was covered with the blankets but I could still see her eyes tensed and her eyebrows knitted. I almost hated seeing her looking so inviting. It's hard trying to stop myself from going to her.

Finally being able to see her calmed my over protective instincts and let my exhausted mind slow down. I thought about falling asleep on the tree branch because of the view it gave me into Anna's shed. It was only a five foot fall. Nothing would happen that wouldn't heal in a few hours, if not instantly. I was weighing the pro's and con's of sleeping on a tree when I heard Anna let out a sound that damn near crushed my heart.

It was a mix between a whimper and a flat out cry. I had to grip the tree so tightly I heard it snap, in order to stop myself from bolting out of the tree, taking off the back wall of the shed and taking my tiny imprint into my arms. She let out another cry and I dropped down from the tree, fully prepared to fight off whatever was going on in her dreams. I'm not entirely sure how to do it, but I'll figure it out.

Three minutes felt like years as I waited for her to do anything but cry. She was getting louder as the seconds trickled on and she had started to thrash in her sleep. I started to shake worse then I ever have, even when the teenagers had tripped her, I still wasn't this bad. There was no one I could scowl at to leave her alone. There was nothing I could do on my end to stop her nightmare.

I bit my tongue so hard it bled and my palms were already bleeding from my finger nails, which were half claws now. Just when I thought I was going to snap, she woke up. Crying. Hell, I was crying with her. She snapped up her bed and looked around frantically. When she saw she was alone she relaxed just a little. I tensed up a little more when she pulled her blankets tighter around her and tried to disappear in them, crying silently as she did.

Every single ounce of me, told me to rip off that flimsy fucking door and just take her away. Into the woods away from her parents and stupid teenagers to make sure no one ever made her cry again. But I couldn't move. If I did, I would phase. I could feel the wolf in me clawing inside me, dying to get out and kill everyone that ever did the girl in front of me wrong.

Five minutes of excruciating physical and emotional pain later, Anna wiped the tears from her face and crawled out of bed. She ran her hands over her face then started digging through her dresser like nothing had happened. I stared at the back of her head intently, waiting for any sign that she really wasn't okay. The only hint I had that anything was even wrong in the first place was her blood shot eyes.

She pulled on a pair of dingy sweat pants and grabbed a duffle bag on her floor, her keys and stepped into boots that looked a size too big for her then walked out of her shed. I heard her lock the door behind her and I prayed she would get on her bike. She didn't.

She walked straight for her house and slipped in the back door that was almost off its hinges. I strained my ears to listen for her asshole parents but I couldn't hear anything. They must have been still asleep because the only thing I could hear was Anna's foot steps before the shower turned on.

I waited for ten minutes, pacing wildly as I did, keeping my ears open for any sound of her parents. I could tell they didn't like her if they made her, or let her, sleep out in a shed and after everything that happened tonight, I wouldn't be able to stop myself if they tried _anything_ with her. They could say one word to her in the wrong tone and I swear on my mother's life, I will tear through that house and kill them both. Within thirty seconds.

When the shower cut off and her parents were still asleep I wasn't as tense, but she was still in the bathroom. I waited for five more minutes until she came out of the bathroom and then out the back door. I had to dash behind a tree because my pacing had brought me closer to the tree line. Even if it was still dark out, she still might be able to see a half naked Quileute stalking her.

When she got back to her shed she was still in her baggy shirt and sweat pants and I could finally breathe a little lighter. Anna looked wide awake and it wasn't even dawn yet. There were dark circles under her eyes and they were puffy and red. She started turning on her lights and I had a much clearer view of her.

She started undressing and I didn't look away, I couldn't. I didn't care what Sam would do to me right now, I had to keep my eyes on her. I'll take the beating later. With her back turned to me I saw her naked body. Damn near all of my tension and rage flowed out of me when I saw her. Her arms and shoulders were thin and so was her waist, her hips curved out more than I would have expected for a girl so thin. Her bottom had more meat than her entire backside, and it showed painfully in her torso because I could count her ribs easily.

Her skin was so pale I swear I could see the blood moving through her veins. I've seen skinnier girls but there was something unhealthy about how small she was. She still looked fucking amazing and if I didn't have the urge to phase at the tip of my fingers I would be in that shed grabbing her and doing things that I can't dwell on because I will end up doing them any way. Her legs had little muscle to them and she looked like her legs shouldn't be able to hold up the rest of her body, but they did just fine.

She never turned around as she dressed but all too soon she was in jeans and a worse-for-wear t-shirt. She sat back down at her desk and I had to climb back up the tree to hide in the shadows so she wouldn't see me while I continued to watch her. Her eyes had lost some of their redness and puffiness and it made me a little calmer but she had a blank look in her eyes, big hazel empty eyes.

I could feel my stomach lurch and my heart scream. I did not want her to look like this. I wanted her to have life in her. I wanted her to be happy about something. I didn't want to see her dragging herself along while dealing with the assholes in her life. She was my imprint dammit! I needed to fix this. I had to make her see that there was something to be happy for. I don't care what it was, but I needed to see her smile. I need to see her eyes light up in happiness, not dulled with emptiness.

I still couldn't phase, even as the urge became stronger I couldn't. If I did I would run on pure instinct and that is bad. I'd do a lot of things that I'd never be able to take back, even if I didn't want to they still might potentially hurt Anna and I couldn't risk that. I couldn't think about hurting her when she was already hurting so much. I'd ritually sacrifice myself if I ever did something like that to her.

Sitting at the desk, she went back to her homework. I almost scoffed. Most people get into trouble to get away from their problems, but my imprint sticks her perfect nose into her textbooks and works her ass off. As much as I hate seeing her like this, I'd rather have her how she is then a pile of trouble. Then I'd have heart attacks daily, rather than going to stalking extremes. Meh, I'd still probably still stalk her, no matter what she was like.

The sun just barely started to light up the sky when she packed away her books and put on a big sweatshirt and started turning off all of her lights. I caught a glance of the clock and saw that it was almost six in the morning. It didn't even phase me that I had gotten no sleep even though I'd have to be back in school in two hours. I watched her unlock her bike after she locked up her shed, then she hopped on the bike and pedaled down the road, toward the high school.

I had to follow her to school, just to make sure she got there okay and that she wasn't upset. Well, visibly at least. I knew she was still upset, I could feel it in my bones. I phased as I ran ahead of her, barely getting my shorts off in time because now I had a mission that didn't involve standing still and I could phase without painful consequences. I had to watch her get to school. No detours. No killing. No nothing.

Out front of the high school she chained her bike to the bike rack and rushed into the school. It had been something like an hour and there was hardly anyone there so there were no fuck-faces to tease her and piss me off more. I watched her until I saw her disappear into a building but it didn't calm me at all. If anything it only made me more nervous. Now I couldn't see her and she was in a school full of idiots.

Its gonna be a very bad day.

I had to force myself away from the school and ran back home. Sam was waiting in the woods and phased and changed into my shorts before I walked up to him, preparing myself for anything fight I might have to start with my Alpha.

"Nightmares are the worst." Sam said solemnly. His hands were stuffed in his pocket and he was hunched over, it was the tell tale imprint stance. This whole situation had something to do with Emily and the next time I see her I might have to kiss her feet.

I eyed him cautiously, hoping that he wasn't going to kill me in the next few seconds. I couldn't let anyone kill me until I was sure Anna was set for life and there was no way that was happening anytime soon.

"I'm not going to yell at you, not after that." He said seriously. Seeing that my hide was safe I relaxed a little.

"Thanks," I muttered, my throat still tight with emotion. Imprints do it all the time without even trying.

"Patrol schedule is fixed, but you're gonna have to run Quil's today." He told me, sympathy still lacing his voice heavily.

I just nodded. I really didn't want to talk much right now.

"I'm not going to pretend like I know what to do, but please no killing anything that isn't a leech or belong in the wild." He was pleading, not sympathetic. I didn't like either attitude from Sam, it was a little strange.

"I can do that." I told him somewhat serious. Some of those teenagers belonged in the wild…

"Seriously?" He asked surprised.

I nodded again.

"Alright, Em wants everyone over for dinner, you coming?" He asked. I could hear in his voice that he totally expected a no. I almost gave to him immediately.

I thought about it for a second. I didn't want to leave Anna alone too much but since Emily is probably the sole reason Sam isn't kicking my ass, I'm gonna appease her for the day. "Sure," I answered with a nod.

AN: Review! :D


	4. Finally

AN: Hello! Here is the next chapter of my Paul story. The next chapter is going to have a lot of Anna and Paul, so yay! :D I dunno when, or if, Anna is going to meet the vampires because Paul really doesn't like them, but I'm thinking about it. Thank you for all the reviews and thanks for reading! :D Enjoy.

Chapter Four

Finally

The rest of Friday and Saturday were hard for me. I was still on overprotective mode and trying to function away from Anna surpassed difficult and teetered on impossible. During patrols I would run to where ever she was without thinking. I could sense her better than anyone else, even my brothers. Before her I could smell them for miles without trying but now they kind of blended into the background and the only scent that stood out was Anna. Even when I was just driving I would find myself drifting toward her location.

Emily kept me as busy as she could and I was thankful for that. It didn't help all that much, but it was something. I was going crazy all of Saturday so as soon as the sun was down and my patrol was done I was right at Anna's shed.

As soon as I saw her pensive face buried in a book I was instantly relieved. It was late, really late, so I was a little surprised that she was still awake but it is the weekend. I appreciated it though, I couldn't bear to watch her have another nightmare. I only allowed myself to watch her until she started yawning, then I forced myself to run in the opposite direction. Even if it made me feel like I was going against every thing in my nature. Leaving her is a lot like trying to stop my heart from beating and trust me, its more difficult then it sounds.

I made it back to my house but I only made it to the table in the kitchen before I dropped down and started bashing my head on the wooden surface, gripping the sides as I did.

"Paul Robert Woodburn, if you break that table, you will be putting it back together." I heard my mother chide me harshly. I let my head fall once more and left it on the table. Mom walked right up to me and picked my face up and examined me. "You look horrible." She said bluntly and set my head back on the table.

"I feel horrible." I grumbled, knowing I would have to elaborate what I meant.

Mom brushed her fingers through my hair like I was a kid again. "Just remember, you can pick her up tomorrow at nine and have her to yourself for a few hours." She said knowingly.

"Where are you gonna be?" I asked confused. She already told me she wanted to meet him.

"Out, I'm not going to cramp my son's style." She said with a wink.

I rolled my eyes tiringly. "I thought you wanted to meet her." I asked with a raised brow.

"I am, I'm just not staying." She answered, still looking a little too devious for my tastes.

I smiled weakly anyway. "Thanks Mom," I mumbled.

"You're welcome," She said as she bowed down and kissed the top of my head. "There's a meatloaf in the fridge for you and please try to get some sleep, I don't mind where." She said firmly.

I knew she was hinting about where I've been sleeping as of late. "Night," I breathed. She gave me a pointed look before disappearing down the hallway to her room. When I heard her door shut I stood and got the meatloaf out of the fridge.

It was still in the baking pan and hadn't been touched at all. I didn't bother heating it up and just started taking chunks out of it. I was only halfway through it when I felt grogginess take over my brain. I felt like I was going to slip into a coma I was so tired. I shoveled down the rest of the meatloaf and staggered to my room.

I had barely spent any time in my room since I imprinted on Anna and truthfully I didn't want to be here, but my sudden tiredness already won out as I dropped onto my bed and closed my eyes. It wasn't even five seconds later and I was fast asleep.

Next thing I know I'm opening my eyes and the sun is up. I jumped out of my bed, freaking out and scrambling for my clock. Eight fifteen. FUCK! I wanted to be there early! Okay, so I wanted to stalk the area out three hours before she even showed up and be there when she got there so she wasn't waiting.

I tore off the clothes I had on and threw on a plain black shirt and jeans. I barely grabbed my shoes in time while I ran out of my room. Bolting down the hallway my mother's voice stopped me mid-stride.

"What's the rush?" She asked confused, taking in my disheveled state.

"I'm meeting her at nine!" I yelled at her while I took the time I had to actually get my shoes on. She made a guilty face and became extremely interested with her cereal. I know that look. My mother only gets that look when she's done something bad. "What did you do?" I demanded.

"I may have put half a bottle of sleeping pills in the meatloaf." She muttered under her breath which really didn't help her since I could hear her from outside the house.

"What?!" I bellowed angrily. Not to the point where I was shaking, oddly that hasn't happened outside of situations involving Anna since I imprinted.

"You weren't sleeping! I wanted you to be rested for this, so I drugged you a little." She said trying to justify drugging her only child.

"A little?" I asked bluntly. Half a bottle isn't a little! Truthfully I'm a little surprised it worked…

"You barely slept anyway." She scoffed rolling her eyes.

"I'll deal with you later." I told her with a pointed finger before I swiped up my keys and stalked out, forcing myself not to slam the door.

Not only do I have to deal with being a werewolf, imprinting on a girl that lives miles away but also my bat-shit crazy mother drugging me randomly. Fucking wonderful. When I was in my truck I revved the engine and peeled out of my driveway. Sure the drive to Forks is supposed to twenty to twenty-five minutes and the fact that I made it in nine minutes and fifty-five seconds is probably more than a little insane.

The little convenience store at the corner of Anna's street was filled with teenagers. They all looked at me like I was an alien from Mars or something when I pulled up and parked near the street. I didn't have to wait long before Anna came walking out of the store with a cup of coffee in her hands and her head down.

My heart leaped just seeing her while my stomach dropped seeing she got here before me. I really wanted her for as long as I could and dammit if I was here sooner I would have had a little more time. I easily jumped out of my truck and walked around to the passenger side door to wait for her.

While she walked to my truck the idiot teenagers looked like they were thinking about trying something but stopped when they looked at me. That's right shit-heads, do anything to my imprint and I will skin you.

Anna got to the truck and looked up at me through her hair, which was down and smelling too intoxicating, a little confused. "You're early." She noted, her hazel eyes looking so much more alive now. Sure, over half an hour but if I had my way it would have been hours. But she doesn't need to know that.

"So are you." I countered, smirking a little. She dropped eye contact then and I almost pouted.

The teenagers yelled something I didn't pay attention too but it made Anna flinch. Sadly I did not have the time to kill them without her noticing. "We should go." She said tensely. I looked over my shoulder to the fuck-faces and glared at them, making one squeal and two look away so fast they crashed into someone else. And that's a job well done.

I opened the door for her and she flung herself in before I could offer my hand. I closed the door behind her and walked to the driver's side. When I got in my seat, looking over to make sure Anna was comfortable, which she didn't at all, the teenagers had disappeared into the store.

"Can I ask why you agreed to help me?" I asked suddenly while I looked over to her. She was looking at the teenagers cars nervously and I had a strong feeling this whole thing had something to do with a combination of her parents and the teenagers.

"I need help with my car." She answered simply. Still not looking me in the eye. She is a really bad liar.

"That it?" I asked, prodding slightly. I didn't want to push her, but I was curious.

She sighed and finally looked at me, her blue-brown eyes looking a little guilty. Like there's anything she can do that would make me want her less. "And maybe I wanted the people in the area to see me with a huge Quileute and then they would possibly leave me alone." She added, wincing a little.

Her logic was pretty dead on. People tended to stay away from anyone that had huge friends that were more violent than not. "I could run them over, they can't bug you if they can't walk." I offered grinning.

She laughed and it seemed to be something that surprised her because she stopped quickly and looked a little bewildered. It was my new mission to make her laugh again because I haven't felt that good in a long time. If ever. I wasn't angry that I didn't show up sooner and I wasn't even pissed at my mother for drugging me. Her cute little laugh took everything away.

"They'd still manage in a wheelchair." She told me with a bemused half-smile.

I wouldn't put it passed those assholes. "Well, can't say I didn't try." I sighed before speeding out of the parking lot.

The drive was quiet and I didn't mind at all. Would I have liked to hear my imprints voice? Yes. But I was thankful to have her next to me, I wasn't going to get picky. She stared out at the window, just like last time, but she seemed more curious than nervous and that let me relax a little. Of course I still felt bad that I had to expose her to my mother. And I just got over being late. She's going to have to laugh constantly in order for me to get some of this guilt off my shoulders.

When I pulled into my driveway, in front of my small but clean and orderly house, Anna examined it with the tiniest smile on her perfect lips. "Its small, but its home." I told her smiling to myself as I watched her.

She looked to me and tried to smile a little more, but it wasn't genuine. It pulled all my heart strings. Ironically all were dedicated to her anyway. She hopped out of the car and I had to scramble to follow. She was tiny, but fast. We got to the door and I let her in and of course, my mother was waiting, with a tray of hotdogs.

"Hello, you must be Anna." Mom said shaking Anna's hand before she even got into the house. She was smiling so big I thought her face was going to crack in half.

"Anna, this is my mom Dana." I introduced quickly, glaring at my mother.

"Hopefully you'll have better luck with math than I did with him." She laughed awkwardly. Anna and I both stared at my mom with a loss for words and she got the hint rather quickly and rushed the tray to the dining room table, grabbing her purse that was hanging on the chair. "I'll leave these for you, eat up all you like, there is more in the oven you'll need to take out in a few, I've got some errands to run and I'll be back in a few hours." She said rushing back up to me and kissing my cheek soundly. "Love you," She rushed before dashing out the door, shutting it behind her.

"She's a little strange, but she'd be boring if she wasn't." I tried to explain. Anna chuckled a little and while it wasn't the laugh she had before, it was at least something and I felt a little lighter on my feet. We walked to the dining room and I pointed to the hotdogs. "Want one?" I asked.

"No thanks, I'm not hungry." She said shaking her head, looking a little sick.

"You're not a vegetarian are you?" I asked suspiciously. What cruel world would it be if I imprinted on a vegetarian?

She snorted at that. "No, I just already ate."

"Ah," I said a little relieved before I grabbed a hotdog and ate three-quarters of it in one bite.

"These your books?" I asking pointing to the stack next to the bowl of cheetos I'm sure my mother put there before I got back. I nodded since my mouth was full and she sat next to them and started flipping through the pages.

Normally in school my teachers couldn't get me to pay attention long enough to learn anything, but three hours with Anna and I was a math genius. Well, probably not, but I passed the practice quiz from the book on my first try, only missing three which is a lot better than I normally did. I was pretty damn amazed I was able to concentrate too with Anna sitting so close, but apparently she helps my concentration as much as she hinders it. This imprinting thing is strange.

After I answered the hardest question in the chapter Anna deemed I was ready for the make-up test on Monday. She was smiling proudly as she starting collecting her papers and that beautiful smile she had slowly faded away. I really didn't want to give her up just yet, so I brought up her car.

"You want me to look at your car today?" I asked trying not to let too much hope fill my voice.

"Do you want to?" She asked looking up at me from the papers.

I had to bite my tongue to make sure I didn't let slip the little fact that I would do anything with her and for her. "Yeah, I've got nothing to do." I said somewhat casually.

That gorgeous smile she had started to lose came right back. "Alright, it's at a garage in Forks." She said a little lighter.

"We can tow it back here, if that's okay with you?" I offered.

She nodded. "That's fine, it'll make it easier." She said with a small shrug.

This drive to Forks took me the twenty minutes it was supposed to. We didn't talk again and I still didn't mind. She had relaxed to such a point where she was leaning against the door and even looked in my general direction a few times. It might not seem like a lot of progress, but to me it is. She directed me to the garage close to the high school, which was once again frequented by teenagers.

When they saw her in my truck I could tell they were going to start picking on her as soon as something came to mind, but when I got of my truck and walked around to let her out, they all blanched and watched in shock. Anna didn't notice, or at least didn't care, because she glided right passed them and walked to the one garage door that was closed. She pulled her keys from her bag and unlocked the door and I pushed it up before she could and I was met with a wonder.

A tattered and beaten dark blue 1970 Dodge Challenger looked back and me and watching my imprint walk up to her car and lay her hands lovingly on it almost made me cry. It was just so beautiful. "Wow," I breathed, walking deeper into the garage. "Where did you get it?" I asked in shock as I started to examine of the body.

"It's a long story." She said biting her lip. I didn't push the subject but I wasn't going to forget it. She popped the hood and I quickly peeked under it.

Under the hood was a mess. Half the parts were missing and the parts that were there looked like they were shit. "Oh man, this thing is in need of some serious TLC." I winced. Who would do such a thing to this beauty?

"Is it fixable?" She asked hopefully.

"Yeah, but its gonna take a while." I said putting my head under the hood so Anna couldn't see the huge smile that took over my face. To get this thing running with only three days a week would take _months_. All that time with my imprint. I'm going to be a happy werewolf.

"Are you sure you want to take it on?" She asked quietly, her eyes filled with pleading.

Again, I had to stop myself from screaming, and bouncing like a kid on Christmas. "Yeah, I love a challenge." I answered with a smirk.

"Thanks," She smiled shyly.

"Hey, you're putting up with my lack of intelligence when it comes to Algebra, I'm glad to help." I laughed. I was actually able to say that without biting my tongue about something.

"Do you need help hooking it up?" She asked quickly.

"Sure," I said still smiling.

Getting the car attached to my truck didn't take much but the teenagers decided to gather around and watch, making Anna so nervous she almost tripped and fell while walking to her seat. Luckily I was on the same side of the car so when I reached out with slightly inhuman speed and caught her, it wasn't too suspicious.

I didn't care about any of that though, because I had my imprint in my arms. Her face was beet red and her eyes looked a little panicked but she was still there. I never wanted her to leave my arms but she started to squirm in my hold and I knew I had to let her stand on her own two feet.

"You okay?" I asked swallowing the strong urge to take her back into my arms.

She nodded fervently and tucked her hair behind her ear before bolting to her seat.

I took in a deep breath and finished hitching the car before climbing back into my truck. Anna had lost the relaxing stance she had and I was still resisting the strong urge to just pull her into my lap and drive to a secluded corner of nowhere. God it's going to be a long day…

AN: Review!


	5. Lucky Car

AN: HI! First off on my profile I have links to pictures of Paul(Alex Meraz) and Anna, the actress I found is a little older than how I pictured Anna but she is perfect. I have two Anna's on my profile, so make sure your looking at the Anna Roland link. Also, I have a new story to pimp out! :D A Harry Potter, Snape-centric, story called Daughter of a Prince. Check it out if you like, I'd definitely love more feedback on it. But anyway, here is the new chapter and the next chapter is going to be pretty heavy, so have your laughs now. :P Enjoy!

Chapter Five

Lucky Car

When I got back to my house with Anna and her Challenger there was a painful silence. I was also fighting the _strong_ urge to hold her again. I was replaying the whole moment with her constantly, sealing the feel of her tiny body in my arms to my memory. I was so distracted when I backed into the driveway I didn't smell my mom and Seth in my mothers car behind us until they pulled up next to my truck.

Seth tried to smile at me but I scowled down at him through the window. He had the good sense to look scared. I jumped out and strode quickly around to Anna, before I strangled Seth. Anna was already out and looking at me confused. Her brows were pinched and her lips kind of pouted and dammit I really wanted to kiss her. I got to myself together and looked away from her lips. "I apologize now." I muttered.

Seth walked around the car and examined in carefully while my mother shook her head and walked passed us and into the house. She gave Anna a warm smile and a hello, I got nothing. "Wow, this car is beautiful!" Seth said in his normal cheery voice. I still wanted to ring the little fuckers neck. I clearly remember telling them I didn't want to introduce Anna to anyone in the pack until she wasn't so uncomfortable around me.

"Paws off Clearwater!" I snapped, rushing up to him. "What are you doing here?!" I hissed too slowly, it didn't sound much like words but Seth was able to decipher.

"Your mom asked if I could do the yard work while you chat up your imprint." He answered smiling.

I grabbed him by the collar and yanked him down a little, because the fucker is taller than me. "Say it again, and I will take off your tail." I threatened entirely seriously.

"Ms. Woodburn, where did you say the Weed-Eater was?!" Seth asked desperately as he ran toward my mother.

I took in a deep breath before walking back to Anna. She still looked really confused, and almost fearful. "That was Seth, he's here to help my mom with yard work." I answered the question she didn't have to ask. Seth confuses everyone.

"Oh," She murmured.

"Let's check out the condition of this monster." I said patting the roof of the car. I started my inspection on the body of the car. Both bumpers were still on and in good condition and there wasn't even a ding on any part of the car. "The body looks solid, some new paint will make it perfect." I told her confidently. She looked like she already knew that. I moved onto the windows, which were solid and oddly enough clean. "Windows are good." I said as I opened the door. The inside of the car was clean and when I mean clean I mean the friggin' roof looked like it had been vacuumed and the inside of the meters was squeaky clean. "Interior is spotless." I said looking at Anna with a raised brow. I wonder if she'd do the same to my truck…

"I felt useless, so I cleaned it." She mumbled with a brilliant blush on her cheeks.

"Hey, I'm not complaining, last time I worked on a car this old it smelt like rotting pizza and vomit. And this one smells like vanilla." I said smiling. Truthfully it smelt just like her and I have a feeling Mom will find me here a lot.

She blushed even more and ducked her head to look at the tires. "How are the tires?" She asked, avoiding my eyes. It's actually kind of cute she's so anxious. Okay, its not, it kind of hurts.

Looking at the tires on the side of the car I was on they were still on the okay side, but I wasn't going to risk okay with my imprint. "They should be replaced, the tread is really low." I told her seriously.

"Okay," She said nodding. She pulled a small notebook from her pocket and a little pencil and started writing.

"Are you making a list?" I asked amused.

She shrugged and continued to write. "Just incase I forget something." She answered, glancing at me for only a moment.

"Works for me." I said a little relieved. I'd probably remember all of this, but it was nice to know I didn't have to. I walked to the front of the car and knocked on the hood. Anna looked up at me confused. "Pop the hood?" I asked with a feign pout. She chuckled quietly and leaned into the car and pulled the lever.

Propping the hood up, I looked at the mess before me. Well, the parts were a mess, the engine itself was clean, just like the rest of the car. I glanced over to Anna as she continued to write in her notebook. She is a neat freak and then some but still so damn gorgeous. Alright Paul, back to the engine. There was a lot of wear on the engine. Not a new part in it since the 80's.

I sighed heavily and pulled back to look at Anna fully. Her attention went straight to me and I'll admit I like it better that way. "Okay, good news, nothing looks so damaged that it will make fixing this difficult." I said giving her a sympathetic crooked smile.

"Bad news?" She asked biting her lip.

Is it fucked up that her bad news is my great news? "Damn near everything is going to have to be replaced." I answered, forcing my lips not to smile no matter how much I wanted to.

She sighed a little, but the news didn't seem to dishearten her. "Do you know how much it's going to cost?" She asked looking between me and the list.

"Not off the top of my head." I said shaking my head, leaning against the car. "Shouldn't be hard to price with that nifty list." I quipped because I couldn't help myself.

Her cheeks went from pale to a vibrant red in a matter of seconds and she ducked her head just as quickly. I couldn't help myself and I smiled a little more. I coughed to stop myself from laughing and looked back to the engine.

"I'll start listing off the stuff that needs replacing." I told her, peaking around the hood to see her glance up from her list with a brusque nod.

For the next hour or so I went through the entire front end of the Challenger. Anna kept up with me well enough and four pages in the book later I couldn't think of anything else that needed to be replaces. It was all I could do until we at least got this monster running. I got the car on jacks and started looking underneath while Anna sat at my feet with her list.

"Anything bad?" She asked trying to lean down to look at me.

"All four shocks are gone and there's some rusting." I answered, shuffling out from under the car. Its pretty sad that before I first phased I could slip under one of these things perfectly fine with the jacks, and now I struggle getting out without busting my head on the freakin' axel. Sure, it would probably only leave a bruise for a few minutes, but it'd still hurt! I finally got out from under the car I leaned against the side and looked at Anna next to me. "Other than that." I muttered, watching her as she finished scribbling.

It was so hard having her _right next to me_, not being able to brush the stray hairs that fell across her cheek or just lean into her and kiss her senseless and I'd do both if I thought she'd enjoy it as much as me. She looked up from her notebook and tucked her hair behind her ear, making her looks so beautiful, innocent and perfect. She looked at me expectantly while I still fought the urge to kiss her. "It's great." I told her quietly.

Anna nodded and wrote something on her list. I continued to study her profile while she looked through what she had in her notebook. She had clear skin, even if it was an unhealthy color, and the only scar was one just at the corner of her bottom lip that resembled something I gave Jared a few weeks ago for pissing me off. I could feel fury start to bubble at the pit of my gut at who ever decided to hit my imprint and just when I thought I would snap and just kill everyone in Forks, sans Charlie because I like him, my mother started yelling from the front door.

"Paul, Anna, if you want some dinner you better come get it before Seth eats it all!" She called out in that motherly voice. Anna's head snapped up and turned to look at her, but my mom had already gone back into the house.

I let out a long breath and Anna tried to go back to her list. "Hungry?" I asked nodding toward the house.

She made and anxious face and nodded smally. "A little," She murmured.

I pushed off the ground and got on my feet easily and held my hand out for her. She looked worryingly from my hand back to the door. "Don't worry, my mom is a good cook." I said chuckling a little. She sighed and took my hand and I pulled her up easily and gently. I still reveled in the fact that her tiny hand fit in mine so perfectly.

We walked into the house quietly and at the dining room table Seth was already taking one side to himself and gorging on lasagna. The rest of the table was full of food like it normally was when we didn't invade Emily's house. "Is anyone else coming?" Anna asked confused.

"No, why?" I asked with a raised brow.

"That's a lot of food." She said pointing to the table.

My mom came in from the kitchen laughing. "Oh honey, you think boys this big eat normal portions?" She asked rhetorically as she put down a plate of hamburgers before taking her seat. "Sit, dig in!" She said pointing to the seat opposite her and across from Seth.

Anna sat gingerly in the seat across from Seth and next to my mother and I took the other. Seth already shoveled as much food as he could on his plate and Mom helped her self. I watched Anna as she picked a little bit of food from each plate while I dumped a bowl of potato salad on my plate. Don't judge me, Mom makes the best potato salad.

"So Anna, how did you and Paul meet?" Mom asked, turning her whole body to Anna. Seth snapped up from his food and watched both women wit anticipation while I glared at her as Anna stiffened.

"Oh, um at the diner I work at." She answered uncomfortably.

I threw my mother another dangerous look and she didn't budge. "Working, school and tutoring, I hope you have time for it all." She said amazed.

"It just works for me, I guess." Anna answered with a shrug, sinking a little deeper into her seat. If I didn't love my mother I would have yanked her out of the room by now.

"Do you have any plans for college?" Mom asked pleasantly.

"I do, I just don't know which college I'm going to." Anna answered shifting in her seat and taking a sip of the water she had in front of her.

"That's good, just don't put it off like I did, I waited a year and got pregnant with him." Mom said pointing her fork at me. Seth snorted and I dug my heel into his foot. He hissed and went back to eating.

"That doesn't sound resentful at all, Mom." I said dryly through my teeth.

"Oh you know I love you, you're still alive aren't you?" She asked flippantly before looking back to Anna who looked a little confused with our exchange.

"I don't know, are there any more sleeping pills left?" I asked angrily.

She winced at that and slapped on her biggest smile as she avoided my eyes. "So what do you want to major in?" She asked quickly.

"Um, I was thinking forestry or zoology." Anna muttered, ducking her head a little.

"Interesting choices, can I ask why you've narrowed it down to those two?" Mom asked fascinated, leaning closer to Anna.

"Growing up I always used to play in the woods behind my house and I liked being back there more than anywhere else, it just stuck." She answered simply. A tiny and actually genuine smile formed on her lips and I stopped glaring at my mother so much. And then Seth had to ruin my mood…

"What kind of music do you listen to?" Seth asked suddenly.

Anna stiffened instantly and while I didn't know why, I could tell music was a sore subject for her and I didn't want it to be mentioned at more. Mom saw it as well and picked up the first dish she could grab and piled it onto Anna's plate. "You should try my green bean casserole, it's been voted best in La Push." She rushed, smiling wildly.

Anna looked between all three of us befuddled but let her eyes settle on Seth. "I don't really listen to music." She told him while her cheeks darkened.

"Really, nothing?" Seth asked confused. I gripped my fork tightly enough to make it start to mold around my palm.

"Seth, finish the macaroni salad, I made it for you." Mom ordered sweetly. Seth looked at my mother confused and then to me where he saw me looking at him murderously and quickly went back to stuffing his face.

The rest of dinner was quiet, other than the noises Seth made while he ate. My mother kept looking at me apologetically and I was still angry with her sudden interrogation of Anna so I chose to glare at her for the rest of the meal. When dinner was done and Anna was once again prodded by my mother, this time to eat more which I actually agreed with, Seth was ordered to clean off the table and I walked Anna out to my car.

"Sorry about my mom." I said sincerely and extremely apologetic. "And Seth." I added scowling at the thought of the fifteen-year-old. "Their social skills aren't the best." I said instead of saying 'you're my imprint and they want to know as much about you as possible'. I doubt that would have gone over well.

"Its okay." She said shrugging her dainty shoulders.

We stood next to the truck quietly and I had to gather all of the strength I had in me to say the worst sentence ever made. "Ready to go home?" I asked trying to keep a blank face.

She looked sad for moment before nodded. "Yeah," She muttered. I reached around her and opened the truck door for her. She climbed in and put on her seat belt gloomily.

I wanted to take hours to drive her home but as the sun started to go down she became anxious so I sped up and tried my hardest to get her home before the sky completely darkened. Pulling up in front of her house I saw the beat up car that I didn't want to see and from her slightly panicked eyes she didn't want to see it either.

"Can you pick me up from school tomorrow? We can get some parts in town while were close by." Anna asked desperately.

Well its not like I wasn't going to be stalking her anyway but it does make me feel great knowing that she actually wants to hang around me. Or get me to fix her car. I'm not picky. "Yeah, works for me." I said smiling broadly because I couldn't help myself.

Another blush crossed her cheeks for what felt like the millionth time but I still loved it as much as the first and smiled with me. "Thanks," She said almost happily. I felt like the happiest man in the world watching her smile until she reached for her door. I knew I should have put the child locks on…

"Bye," I said feeling a sudden wave of depression hit me as my imprint opened her door.

She tried to give me another weak smile but it didn't fool anyone. "Bye," She murmured then hopped out of my truck, shut the door behind her and started walking.

I watched and waited for her to safely disappear into her shed but to my horror she walked into the house. With her parents. Who I am sure are horribly human beings. She had started walking for the shed at first but turned suddenly for the house and practically ran into the house. My heart dropped to the depths of hell and I tried to listen for any sounds of shouting or even talking and I could barely hear her breathe but that didn't help.

I was panicking. I had to do something but I couldn't. Not as a human and not parked directly in front of her house. I had to get my truck out of sight and I needed to find somewhere to phase. I peeled out of the driveway and sped down the road like I was going back toward the Rez but pulled into the woods with the first clearing big enough. I parked as deep as I could manage, stripped then ran and phased.

It was three whole seconds before I got her house and God they were long three seconds! It was still quiet in the house but it reeked of booze, mostly whiskey and vodka but scotch was mingled in. I figured she went into the house because to the naked eye, it would be strange for her to go into the shed with her backpack and lock the door behind her. That didn't mean I wanted her in the house any more. I'd run in there myself and pick her up with my teeth and carry her out, but that probably wouldn't yield the best results.

I was huddled close to her shed and waited impatiently for her to come out. Seriously, it had been more than a minute since she went in there, why hasn't she come out yet?! I took up pacing to try and pass the time. A whole minute later talking began. Well, Anna was talking and her father was slurring.

Listening to every syllable that came out of both of them made me even more anxious. My imprint was in the house that she chose a shed over and her parents were both drunk. It's like my worst nightmare only in reality, because in my dreams there would be vampires that I could tear to shreds since the only reason I can even change into a wolf is their fault. But no. I've got humans that are too close to my imprint to kill and perfectly positioned to hurt her. I am going to have an aneurism.

AN: Review!


	6. Growing Hit List

AN: Hola! This update was actually pretty quick, so yay! I just finished a class but I've still got one to go so don't get too used to constant updates. I'm still working on _all_ of my other stories so have no fear! They will all be updated... eventually. Again, I have pictures of Anna and Paul on my profile if you want to see, and why wouldn't you he's gorgeous! Anywho, enjoy!

Chapter Six

Growing Hit List

Listening to the man, or abysmal slime as I like to think of him, try to form coherent words to throw at Anna would have been funny if I was there to crush his skull afterward. Sadly, I'm stuck here, hovering dangerously close to a house with two inebriated humans and an entirely perfect one.

"Who brought you here?" I heard her father ask somewhat clearly.

"Someone I work with." Anna answered quietly.

The man might have been drunk, but he could still snarl perfectly fine. "Why?" He hissed.

"Because I needed a ride and he is a nice person." She muttered. My ego would have inflated at that statement if I wasn't drowning in panic.

"He?!" Her father yelled. All I heard was smashing glass and Anna scream. I don't know how I didn't fly through the house and rip him to shreds, but I didn't. Anna came running from the back door and my stomach dropped.

I could smell her blood and that was something I never wanted to smell. She was gripping her upper arm as she ran for her shed and I could see the deep red ooze from between her fingers and when I saw her father try to stumble out of the house. From where I was I watched Anna struggle with unlocking her shed while he father slowly gained ground. Sure he was thirty feet away, but he had malicious intent thirty feet away, he was too goddamn close.

I growled so loudly and without even thinking that Anna jumped and her father scampered back into his house like a scared cat. Anna looked as hard as she could from where she was to find me. She even started slinking from the shed toward the woods and I started to panic. It's a miracle I haven't killed her father and there is no way I'd be able to hide from her. Hell, I'd probably cuddle with her if she let me. I pushed myself closer into the woods but that only made more noise and alerted Anna to where I actually was.

My imprint might be the smartest person I know, but for some ungodly reason she's walking into the woods toward an animal that just sent her drunken father running. I'd be having a heart attack if I wasn't the animal. Holding her arm tightly she tip toed toward me I began to hyperventilate, which as a wolf is normally hilarious, when I'm not the one freaking out.

I was frozen and torn between my better instinct to not be around my imprint as a wolf and the stronger instinct to actually be around my imprint. Her drunken father started yelling from the house and she abandoned her hunt. I almost wanted to kiss her father for getting her to lock herself in her shed then I remembered he hurt her and I had to stop myself from peeling the flesh from his bones.

She had ran back to her shed and struggled to get in with her injured arm but managed pretty quickly before locking the doors tightly behind her. I rushed from where I had been frozen to the window at the back of her shed and watched her closely. When she turned to face me, uncovering her arm I saw the slice under all the blood and I almost lost it.

The blood on her arm was covering her entire arm and the only reason I could see the cut was because it was darker than the blood. I wanted to tear through the house and kill her father. No one was allowed to lay an unwarranted hand on my imprint and that bastard sure as shit doesn't get to make her bleed. Just thinking about it made my jaw clench and my whole body wanted nothing more than to kill at the moment. Anna whimpered loudly and my attention was drawn right back to her.

She wiped all the blood from her arm and left only the superficial slice. It wasn't serious or even very deep but it still made my skin crawl seeing her hurt in anyway. Especially when I was in her backyard and could have stopped it. The single fact is going to weigh on me until the day I die.

Once her arm was clean she put a large gauze pad on and wrapped an ace bandage around it. She worked proficiently and didn't appear phased by the injury but she was still shaken up, it was pretty clear seeing her sit on her bed and pull her knees to her chest. She rocked a little and tears glistened as they fell down her cheeks.

I was full of rage now. I wanted to go in there and be with my imprint. How bad would it really be if I went in there? Sure, I'm not entirely certain if she's even comfortable around me and then there's that whole 'how did you know I was here?' thing but I'd find a way around that.

Fuck it, I'm stuck out here until further notice. I felt Sam and Quil phase and they both started to panic within seconds.

_Paul, get away from the house! _

I rolled my eyes, which is a skill as a wolf. _If I was going to kill him, he'd already be dead. _

My Alpha couldn't deny that fact. _Is she okay?_ Quil was eager to get off the killing subject.

_No, her father just hurt her and chased her out of the house._ I snarled toward the house and took a step back for good measure.

_You've got school in the morning._ Sam wanted me back at my house.

_My truck is parked close by._

Sam saw the futility of trying to get me to leave and gave in. _Just stay out of sight. And everyone in that house better be alive tomorrow morning._

_He'll probably drink himself to death anyway. _

Sam and Quil left me alone after that. I settled behind the shed, closer than I probably should be but I was more worried about stopping myself from killing her father and really I could only do so much.

Anna changed into her pajama's and started reading in her bed, under all of the covers piled on the small bed. When it neared midnight she put the book away, turned off the lights and closed her eyes to sleep. A few seconds later she was breathing easy and looking as peaceful as ever. I prayed for no nightmares because there is no way I'd be able to take it.

Hours went by easy when Anna barely moved and slept calmly. I couldn't close my eyes at all which didn't phase me much, I'm getting used to sleepless nights thanks to that tiny girl under the numerous blankets. Her alarm clock went off ridiculously early and she went through her normal routine. She was in the house for fifteen minutes of agony and came out untouched. I hovered close by while she unchained her bike after she got dressed and then followed her while she road to school. When her bike was locked up and she was deep inside the school I ran back to my truck feeling somewhat at ease. She was at least away from her father.

I rushed back to my house, showered, changed then jumped back in my truck and drove to school. I was ten minutes late but at least I actually showed up. The whole ride there I had been seriously considering driving down to Forks High School and waiting for the rest of the day there.

After three uneventful classes I skipped lunch there, drove back to my house for left overs and then down to Forks. I parked at the ass-end of the parking lot so no one could see me stalking my imprint while I chowed down on a huge container of pasta.

Over the next three hours not a single soul even passed through the parking lot. When the bell rang letting out all of the teenage fuck-faces I wanted nothing more than to run over, I drove up to the parking next to the bike rack. I got out of my truck and leaned against my door, looking out over the high school while I waited for Anna.

Barely a minute later Anna came walking with her eyes on her feet and her hair in her face. I smiled unconsciously, just being able see her and not have to lurk around her window. She was walking entirely slow but I didn't mind. I wasn't in a rush anymore. When she finally got to the bike rack she looked up and saw me. I smiled at her and pushed off my truck, walking over to her. Her cheeks were bright red as she started unlocking her bike from the rack. I was almost there, just two feet away, when I heard the high pitched voice of someone I've hated for, oh, three years.

"Paul!" Was screamed across the parking lot and I didn't even dare to look back.

I rushed up to Anna and kept my back to the thorn in my side. "Please go along with me." I pled under my breath as I picked up her bike just as she unlocked it. She looked up at me confused but followed me closely while I carried her bike to my truck.

As we turned back to my truck the tall, gangly, brunette I was trying to avoid stepped between me and my truck. "Dana," I ground out, annoyed.

Dana didn't look hurt by my tone, then again she has always been horrible with hints. "What are you doing here?" She asked trying to sound seductive. All it made me want to do was smack her with Anna's bike.

I walked around her and put Anna's bike in the back of my truck as gently as I could at the moment so it was just dropped. Anna looked at me oddly as she quickly shoved her lock in her backpack. "Picking up my girlfriend," I said looking at Anna. Instead of looking shocked like I thought she might, her eyes went wide with realization. She stepped closer to me and stood impatiently.

Dana scoffs as she sizes Anna up. The dumb bitch before me actually thinks she's better than my imprint. "_This_ is your girlfriend? And everyone says I have bad taste." She laughs like the bitch she is.

Before my instincts to tear into the slut in front of me kicked in, Anna stepped up to the insulting plate. "They also say you have the IQ of a peanut." She said quickly and blankly.

I was stunned, impressed and damn proud as I saw Dana blanch and try her hardest not to look affected by Anna's quick wit. "Bye Paul." She hissed then spun on her heels and strode away.

I smiled broadly down at her. "That was awesome." I said happily.

Anna shrugged. "How do you know her?" She asked walking around the truck to her seat.

I groaned and walked ahead of her. "Party at the cliffs a few years ago. Been a pain in my ass since." I answered, snarling at the thought of her. Anna snorted a laugh. "How do you know her?" I asked with feign suspicion. Truthfully, I didn't really want to know, I just wanted to keep her talking since she did it so rarely.

"She's been trying to cheat off me since our freshman year." She answered with another shrug. "I don't know why, she's been getting F's every time." She added with a thoughtful look on her beautiful face.

Still staring at her in awe I asked the only question that came to mind. "How?" I asked dumbly.

"I wrote down the wrong answers then corrected them after she turned in her test." She answered simply.

"Huh, remind me to never try and pull a fast one on you." I said with a raised brow, opening the door for her.

She chuckled as she climbed into the truck. I walked back to the drivers side and got in then took off as fast as I could from the high school and drove toward the auto parts store.

I never would have expected Anna to defend herself so quickly and easily when I had already seen her take sever punishment from her father and be the laughing stock of the diner. Looking at my imprint I started to realize more about her. She wasn't the type to draw attention to herself, but if she could stand up for herself without too much fuss, she would. I think I just fell a little more in love with her.

The drive was, as always, quiet but short since we were so close to the store. There were a few cars in the parking lot but nothing like on Sundays so I took the empty spot closest to the store and Anna and I walked in with the handy list she had made. We walked for the counter and I almost collided with the leech-lover's dear old dad, Chief Swan.

Charlie was still extremely awkward around those he knew were werewolves and vampires so I wasn't all that insulted when he wouldn't look me in the eye. "Oh, Paul, haven't seen you in a while." He grumbled, sparing a glance at me before looking to the small girl to my left. "Anna," He said somberly, with a small nod.

The girl that had just stood her group with the most annoying person I knew suddenly ducked her head and avoided all contact with the chief. "I'm going to see if they have any parts." Anna muttered quickly then rushed to the empty counter.

"What was that about?" I asked quickly.

Charlie looked between Anna and me before he sighed loudly. "You did that, printing thing on her, didn't you?" He asked exhaustedly. I remembered that his daughter was a blood-sucker and Jacob imprinted on his granddaughter and decided to take pity on the poor man.

"Yeah," I answered shortly, trying not to stay on subjects I wasn't supposed to talk about in public. "Back to before, why is she so jumpy around you?" I asked pointing to Anna while she showed the pimply boy behind the counter.

"We've met before and not under ideal circumstances." He told me, looking at Anna sympathetically.

"Her parents." I growled lowly. I should have figured my imprint would be on a first name basis with the local cops with the jackass parents she has.

"Yep, I've been answering calls about them since I was a rookie." He sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "She's a good kid, coulda turned out a lot worse but she's never been any trouble. I just wish she had better parents." He added sadly.

I watched Anna touch her arm gingerly where I knew the slice was she got from her father. "Charlie," I said trying to keep my breathing under control.

"Yeah?" He asked worryingly.

"Have they hurt her?" I ground out through a _very_ tight jaw.

He shook his head. "Not physically that I know of, but they are rotten people." He muttered. I clenched my fists tightly just wondering how many times that bastard might have already hurt her. "Don't worry about her so much, she's a lot tougher than you might think." Charlie said patting my shoulder then walked for the door.

I watched Anna for a few more seconds and realized he was right. "I know." I muttered to myself then walked up to the counter where Anna was getting frustrated, and looking cute as she did. "Problems?" I asked leaning on the counter next to her.

"They have almost nothing on the list." She said exasperatedly, holding the list up then looking pointedly at the boy behind the counter.

"Sorry we don't stock up on parts for antiques." The boy hissed.

"I can take my _antique_ and my money to Saul's if you want." She countered warningly. God, she's making me all kinds of proud today, but I'm still going to have to kick this little fucker's ass.

The boy groaned seeing he was cornered and gave in. "We might have a few at the moment, but they ain't cheap." He spat.

"I didn't think they would be." She said punctuating every word to express her irritation.

The boy rolled his eye and disappeared into the back and Anna dropped her face into her hands. "Rough day?" I asked moving closer to her, resisting the urge to hug her.

She took in a deep breath and raised her head to look at me. "You could say." She mumbled tiringly.

Thinking back on it, she did have a long day and a long night. "Still up to try and learn me?" I asked with a grin, trying to hide my guilt at the moment.

She laughed a little and some of my guilt floated away. "Yeah, you're not as dumb as you think you are." She said knowingly.

I had a comeback that would have made her laugh on the tip of my tongue but pimple-boy came back with an arm full of boxes and a scowl. "We've got seven parts right now, wanna order the rest?" He asked shortly.

A very fake smile took over Anna's lips. "Yes, please." She said with unenthused politeness.

We finished up at the auto parts store and Anna made me take the parts to the truck before the bill was tallied. It was like she knew it was going to hurt me to see her pay for all of it. I had to admit though, I was liking the take-charge-Anna I was faced with at the moment. She wasn't timid or cautious, she was strict and confident. She thrived in situations that didn't in any way shape or form involve her parents. But when they were brought up, she was back to the shy little girl. I couldn't blame her, I don't want to talk about my father either.

When we got to my place my mother was gone and there was a little note waiting for me on the dining room table. Anna quickly started setting up so we could plow through my homework and get started on the car before we both got too hungry. I didn't have a problem with working and neither did she.

While I listened to Anna tell me the difference between two heaps of numbers I started to see more of her stand out. She _was_ a lot stronger than I thought. She could take care of herself. Hell, she's been doing it for God knows how long! But I still had the instinct to take her away from that hell-hole. Even though I was getting closer with her, I still had one constant depressing thought.

She wasn't mine. Not entirely at least. She still wasn't comfortable enough around me to even mention her past. However, she didn't have a problem pretending to be my girlfriend and while it's not much of a leap, its still progress and I'll take what I can get here.

AN: Review!


	7. Well Damn

AN: Goodness, another update not twenty-four hours after an update. What crawled up my ass?! As I'm sure you all know, but I'm saying it again anyway, there are pictures of Anna and Paul on my profile if you want so see. This is where everyone starts to see that Anna is a timid, quiet, loner but she is capable of taking care of herself. There will be A LOT more Anna/Paul moments coming up for everyone and this chapter is no exception. Enjoy! :) Oh, and thank you for all the reviews, I love them all!

Chapter Seven

Well Damn

When I first phased I thought my world would never be tossed and turned like that again. Oh boy was I a naïve dumbass… Looking at imprinting from an objective position makes it look like a form of torture, and it is. I suffered on Tuesday without Anna. She still had the day off but she needed to finish a project for school so there was no tutoring. When I told my mother she tried to get me to do something other than skulk around the library. She failed.

Wednesday I was better. Not by much. I didn't immediately go to the high school when I was done with school. But I did go into the diner ten minutes after she started working for a burger. For twenty minutes I deliberated if she would notice if I stayed for all of her shift. Sam made the decision for me when he called and ordered a pack meeting. It wasn't anything serious but I went anyway, I wouldn't pass on the opportunity to tease Embry for getting tangled up with one of Sam's cousins.

Thursday started out fine. It was damn near perfect. I was actually able to sleep behind Anna's shed that night and when I woke up, she was just waking up herself. Her parents were still asleep in the house and all was well. Anna went through her normal routine and I followed her to the high school, like I always did. I rushed back to my house for a shower, then to school.

In my three classes no one even looked in my direction which was just the way I liked it. After lunch with Emily I decided to hang around with her and Sam to fill the time until Anna would get out of school. Sam and I played video games while Emily used us as human taste testers for a new pasta sauce she was trying to make.

It was a good day. I was functioning away from Anna and I hadn't snapped at anyone once. We pause the game because Sam gets a call and I go use the can and when I come back everything had gone from perfect to fucked in less than a minute.

When I walked back into the living room and was going to plop on the couch I saw the look Sam had on his face. It wasn't a comforting look. "What?" I asked suspiciously.

"That was Charlie." He said quietly, putting the phone down.

Gears started going in my head and all I could think about was the fact that Anna got out of school three minutes ago. "What happened?" I asked lowly.

Sam looked me in the eye and spoke more as a friend and less like an Alpha. "Anna was in a fight." He answered quietly. I barely heard Emily walk over to us.

I felt the ground go out from underneath me. All I could see was the fuck-head teenagers hurting my imprint, or worse, her parents. I had to get her to. That's all my body would respond to. _Get to imprint_.

"Where is she?" I asked, growling a lot like I do as a wolf.

"Paul, just wait." Sam said trying to be diplomatic. I almost phased right then.

I was shaking now and shaking hard. "Where is she?!" I yelled.

"She's at the hospital, but-" Sam didn't get to finish his sentence because I didn't stay for it.

I was gone. I don't even remembering using the door but however I got out of the house, it was fast. Another second later I was in my truck and three after that I was speeding down the road toward the county hospital. It seemed my instincts knew I would be better received at a hospital as a man with a car, rather than a half naked Native with bare feet.

I couldn't focus on anything. I was on autopilot and luckily my hands knew how to get to the hospital without my brain. All I kept thinking about was Anna bloodied and broken, battered to within an inch of her life. What was I thinking?! I can't leave her alone! She's too fragile, all anyone is going to do is hurt her.

I prayed to every god I could think of in hopes that Anna would be okay, or alive. I couldn't imagine my life without her. There was no way I'd even be able to breathe without her. Chanting prayers to myself I damn near flew to the hospital. I made my own parking spot and bolted into the emergency room and was instantly met with the smell of my imprint and not twenty feet away she was sitting in a waiting room chair with Charlie standing in front of her, one of his cops next to her and a nurse cleaning a scrape on her elbow.

The knots in my chest undid themselves as I watched Anna, who was perfectly fine save for the two new scrapes on her elbow and hand, talk to Charlie and the other cop. I fell against the wall and caught my breath, trying my hardest to keep the stupid tears I felt coming at bay. Charlie glanced over his shoulder and saw me, said something to the other cop then walked up to me. Anna was now talking to the nurse as she had found the slice she had gotten from her father.

"How many speeding tickets do I need to give you?" Charlie asked exasperated.

I couldn't laugh at what might have been an attempt at a joke. "What happened?" I asked as I straightened up.

"She was leaving the high school on her bike, heading toward the diner, three boys thought it would be funny to push her off and stir up some trouble." He sighed shaking his head.

I almost started shaking again, but I stopped myself by clenching my fists and setting my jaw. "Where are they?" I asked in a low hiss.

"One is getting a cast on his foot, and the other two are getting their shoulders popped back into place." He listed casually with a bit of a smile on his face.

All the anger I had was drained and replaced with confusion. "Wait, what?" I asked stupidly.

"After they pushed her off her bike one tried to kick her, he's got a broken foot now. The other two tried to finish what he started but they didn't have much luck." He explained without much detail.

"How?" I asked befuddled, looking at my sweet imprint. How could her tiny body do that to a person, let alone three?

Charlie shrugged. "Not sure, too many accounts, but they all say Anna did it." He answered simply.

I continued to stare at Anna with my jaw hanging in the wind. I had just spent the better part of eight minutes in panic thinking she was on her death bed and she's not even in a hospital bed. That's probably why Sam tried to stop me. And why he wasn't as grave as he would have been had this been a real hospital visit. I really need to learn to stop and wait for all the facts before I run off.

"I called Sam so he could get a hold of you, I didn't want to call her parents and I figured you'd drive her home." Charlie said suddenly, shaking me from my thoughts.

I nodded. "Yeah," I muttered, walking with him over to Anna.

Anna finally looked up and saw me and she quickly ducked her head again. Always so shy… "Alright Anna, thank you for answering our questions, Paul can take you home now if Ms. Alder says its okay." Charlie said looking down at the nurse.

The nurse nodded as she stood to her full height, which was barely five foot. "Yep, she's fine. Just remember to keep the wounds clean." She said to Anna with a bright smile.

Anna gave the nurse a small, but genuine smile. "I will, thank you." She promised then turned and looked at Charlie and the other officer. "Thank you Chief Swan, Officer Mulberry." She said politely, managing a little more of a smile.

"No problem, let us know if anyone else causes trouble." Charlie said with a brusque nod then left with Mulberry on his tail into the actual emergency room.

Anna started walking out of the waiting room as soon as Charlie finished his sentence and I followed behind her. She wasn't even walking any different. She was slower than she normally walked but other than that there wasn't anything different. I would have carried her to my truck, which was parked over some shrubs, but I doubt she would appreciate it at the moment. I opened the door for her, like always, and helped her into the cab. She gave me a crooked smile and the last lingering ounce of panic slipped from my being. I got into my side of the truck and got off the lawn of the hospital before I got in trouble for parking there.

After a few minutes on the road, actually going the speed limit, Anna spoke up. "Can we pick up my bike, it's at the diner?" She asked, her big blue-brown eyes pleading so much I thought I would choke on my own breath.

"Yeah," I said as casually as my mood could take.

I drove back to Forks, gripping my steering wheel and looking at Anna through the corner of my eye while trying to drive. It was the only thing that kept me somewhat sane at the moment. I had a million and four questions for Anna and I wanted nothing more than kill the fuckers that attempted to hurt her. Jesus, I'm never going to be able sleep again, let alone in a bed.

"Okay, I have to ask, _how_ did you do it?" I asked suddenly, not being able to stop myself any longer.

"What do you mean?" She asked confused.

"I doubt you weigh more than a hundred and ten pounds, how did you take down three guys?" I asked again, glancing quickly from the road to her and back again.

Anna took in a deep breath and a thoughtful look took over her beautiful face. God I'm happy nothing happened to her… "After they pushed me off my bike the first one tried to kick me but I grabbed his foot and twisted it until it broke." She told me uneasily. My eyes went wide real quick. My imprint is a friggin' ninja. "Then the other two picked me up off the ground and I pushed my weight forward until they were on their backs. They were both still gripping my arms so I planted my feet on their chest and pulled my arms until they let go, which wasn't until their shoulders were dislocated." She finished looking down at her hands, folded carefully on her lap. "I don't really know where I learned it, I just did it." She mumbled almost embarrassed.

All I wanted to ask was why she let her father hurt her if she could kick his ass, but I didn't. I wasn't going to ask that until she _told_ me about her father's abuse. Or she found out I was the giant wolf stalking her for the past week. Which ever comes first. "That's pretty good for instinct, most people just scream, you just kicked their ass." I said grinning.

Anna was entirely too still and I could tell this whole situation made her more uncomfortable than usual. I wanted to reach over to her and touch her, comfort her somehow, but I still couldn't. For the rest of the drive to the diner it was deathly silent and all Anna did was sit stiffly next to me.

When we got to the diner I made Anna stay in the truck while I got her bike from behind the diner. People looked at me strangely and started whispering when they saw Anna in my truck. I scared them all off with a single look. Anna didn't notice because she was still studying her lap with all her might.

After I had the bike in the bed of my truck I climbed back in quickly and belted up but didn't leave the parking lot. The last thing I needed was for Anna to go back to her house. I had a patrol with Embry and Leah and after a day like this, I can't leave her with them too long. They've both usually passed out by nine at night, so that's only like four hours to keep her busy. I grasped for the first excuse I could find.

"I forgot my cell at my friends, is it okay if I go get it before I take you home?" I asked, trying not to sound as desperate as I was.

She looked confused, and I knew why. Her house was five minutes away and Sam's place was about twenty five. "Um, yeah." She said without much hesitation. I could sense a little relief in her words and I could only guess that it was because she didn't have to go home before she normally did.

"Thanks," I said with a flash of a grin and pulled out of the parking lot toward the Rez.

I took my time again getting to Sam's, I'm trying to kill four hours here I don't need to speed. Anna wasn't as tense as she had been during the ride to the diner and I couldn't figure out why, but I didn't linger on the thought long, I was just glad she was relaxed. I got to Sam's and saw Anna looking at their little house with a hint of a smile on her lips.

"Wanna come with?" I asked nodding toward the house.

She thought for a moment then nodded. "Sure," She said opening her door and hopping out.

We walked to the house side by side and I knocked on the door loudly, like I always do, because I walked in on Sam and Emily on the couch once and learned my lesson right there and then. Emily opened the door with a smile. "Paul," She said relieved, glancing at Anna for a moment.

"Hey Em, I forgot my phone." I told her as I pushed Anna into the house. Emily closed the door behind us and I looked down to see Anna's reaction to Emily's scars but she didn't have one that I could gage. "Emily this is Anna, Anna this is Emily." I introduced quickly.

"Nice to meet you," Anna said shaking Emily's hand, giving her a small smile.

"Like wise." Emily smiled then looked to me. "Sam has it in the bedroom." She said nodding down the hall.

I looked down at Anna questioningly and before I could even ask, she answered. "I'll wait." She said confidently. I wasn't surprised, Emily has a calming effect on everyone.

I nodded and started walking toward the bedroom and before I slipped down the hallway I heard Emily start talking to Anna.

"Would you like something to drink?" She asked sweetly.

Feeling confident that Anna would be fine with Emily, I walked into the master bedroom and found Sam leaning against the window looking out at the woods.

"Before you say it, I know." I said defeatedly.

"Hopefully there isn't another next time to test whether or not you'll wait four seconds to hear the whole story." Sam chided me while he chucked my cell phone at me.

I caught it easily and stuffed it in my pocked. "She's small but she keeps getting into trouble." I muttered shaking my head.

"What did you do to the guys?" Sam asked cringing.

"Nothing yet." I growled, remembering I'd still have to kick their ass, even if Anna already did some damage to them. It's the principle of it. Sam looked absolutely baffled. "She broke one guy's foot and the other two have dislocated shoulders." I told him seriously.

His eyes went wide and his jaw dropped. "What?" He asked incredulously.

"That's what I said." I said as I crossed my arms over my chest.

"At least you know you don't have to worry about her." Sam pointed out.

"Not as much as I thought." I mumbled.

Sam shrugged and patted my shoulder then walked out into the living room. I followed and when we got out of the hallway Anna and Emily were sitting at the dining room table talking quietly. It was extremely comforting to see Anna talking easily with someone from the pack, well an imprint from the pack.

When we were both in the room Emily and Anna looked up at us. "Ready to go?" I asked trying not to smile.

Anna nodded. "Sure," She said standing.

Emily stood as well and Sam walked over to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "It was nice talking with you, have Paul bring you over sometime, these brutes aren't all that great for talking." Emily said patting Sam's stomach. Sam and I shared a insulted look.

Anna laughed easily and I wasn't all that insulted after that. "Okay," She agreed, smiling.

"Bye," Emily chuckled.

Anna waved smally as we walked out of the house. "Bye," She said almost sadly. Sam and I shared a nod and I shut the door behind me before walking to the truck.

Driving her back to her house it was quiet but not tense at all. Anna had a ghost of a smile on her lips the whole ride back. I need to thank Emily for that. I pulled into the driveway and fought the urge to speed off before she got out of the truck. She got out of the truck and there was something tugging in my chest, something I had to make sure she knew.

"Hey Anna," I called out, just before she was going to shut the door. She stopped and looked at me curiously. "If you need help, you can call me." I told her slowly and seriously.

Her eyes went wide as she looked at me, stunned. "O-okay," She stammered.

Seeing that she actually believed me, I straightened up. "Pick you up Sunday?" I asked.

She tried to say something but only nodded. She shut the door quietly behind her, got her bike from the bed of the truck and walked, still shocked, to her shed instead of the house. She was too preoccupied to care and I was damn happy she went. When I heard the locks on the other side of her door I pulled out of the drive way and down to where I had parked the day her father started the fight with her.

I called my mom while I undressed, telling her I had a patrol with Embry and Leah and that I'd be there in the morning. She wasn't ecstatic that I was sleeping in the woods, _again_, but she didn't argue or pull her authority and wished me good night. When I was naked I tied my shorts to my leg, tossed my cell back in my truck and phased, hoping for something to kill after a day like this.

AN: Review!


	8. Comfort

AN: Hi guys! This took some time, I know, but I'm really trying to stick with my schedule but this story won't let me go so I'm trying to do both. I have an Anna/Paul banner on my profile made by one of my LJ friends because she is AWESOME! :D On my profile you'll see my updating schedule as well, I'm a HORRIBLE procrastinator and I'm hoping this will help me get over that. :P Wish me luck! Thank you all for reviewing and reading and just showing your support for me and my stories. :D Enjoy!

Chapter Eight

Comfort

The rest of Thursday was horrible. I couldn't concentrate on anything but Anna and Leah wouldn't stop teasing me. Embry was smart enough to keep his thoughts out of it, at least. When patrol was done I raced back to Anna's shed and damn near pressed my nose against her window. She was asleep, deeply asleep. Her parents were out cold in the house and after counting her breaths for a minute I curled up as close as I could and closed my eyes. Didn't sleep at all.

Friday was worse. After I ran with her to the school, where everyone was looking at her like she was an alien, I had to leave her to take my truck back home and convince my mother to call me in sick or something. I needed to sleep so badly and the only place I knew I'd be able to sleep would be around Anna and in my truck, since it still smelled like her. My mother mercifully agreed and I was excused for the day but she told me I had to sleep in the house, or at least in the driveway. I agreed out of pure exhaustion.

On Saturday my mother practically forced me to stay with her most of the day. She let me leave in the morning to make sure Anna got to work in one piece and that people were still going to leave her alone. But for the remainder of the day, until I had to go out on patrol, I was with her. I think it was supposed to be an attempt to help me actually function and well, if anyone could force me to do it, it was going to be my mother.

After a day of cleaning and working in the yard I was still on edge. I ran back to check on Anna after dinner because I was panicking so much I had started to vibrate. Once I was sure Anna was alive and unharmed I went back home to appease my mother. Because she was forcing me to stay home and away from Anna she promised to be completely cleared out of the house for Sunday and not bring anyone over unexpectedly. I could suffer for the day to have Anna to myself later.

Mom didn't try to drug me again Saturday night but I stayed in the house again. Of course I didn't sleep but I stayed in the friggin house. I left at six in the morning and drove around Anna's area until eight-thirty when I parked at the gas station. I ran into the dingy store and got a soda then went back to my truck and waited for her.

She came walking down the road twenty minutes later and spotted me instantly. She was blatantly confused to see me there so early but I didn't care. She was a hundred percent fine, physically at least and that's all I can ask for at the moment. I got out of my truck and walked up to her with my hands in my pockets and leaned against the front of my truck. Remember Paul, you still can't kidnap her.

"You're early." She said suspiciously, looking around at the dumbass teenagers that were strategically looking elsewhere.

"Couldn't sleep." I answered casually with a shrug. It's strange actually telling her the truth without having to manipulate it.

She didn't question my answer and just nodded. "I'm gonna grab some coffee real quick, okay?" She asked, nodding toward the gas station.

"Sure," I said without issue.

I watched her walk into the gas station, completely unnoticed by the older guys leaning against the wall of the store, talking about something or another. The fuck-stick teenagers had started to gather around my truck and I felt the over whelming urge to phase and take them all out with one swipe of my massive paw.

They all picked up on my tension and backed off. Anna came out a few minutes later and climbed into the truck without issue. I sent a glare toward the ass-jacks to make sure they knew they would have to deal with me from now on and went back to my seat.

"The auto store has half of the parts for my car." She said once I was in the car. I looked over to her and found her entirely comfortable. She had tucked her leg underneath her while he buckled her seatbelt across her chest and settled against the door easily, sipping gingerly from her cup of coffee.

I smiled seeing her comfortable with me. "Wanna get them now?" I asked nodding toward the road.

"Sure, might as well get it over with." She said with a shrug.

After the bed of my truck was loaded with car parts we drove back to La Push. Anna was busy crossing off all the parts we had just gotten and didn't notice when I pulled into the drive way. Mom kept her promise and her car was gone and there was no one in the area.

I couldn't help but watch Anna toil over her list. She looked adorable flipping through the pages and writing tiny notes in the margins. How does someone look so cute working on a list? When I had soaked up the sight of my imprint for a few minutes I nudged her shoulder. "Hey,"

"Oh, sorry." She muttered, blushing vibrantly and closing up her list.

"Car or homework?" I asked pointing at my house then her car.

"It looks like its going to rain soon, so it's probably best if we start with the car." She answered, nodding to the car.

I craned my neck to look at the sky and the overcast was already thick. It's not surprising for September but it still sucks. "Agreed." I grumbled.

We moved the parts into my garage so they wouldn't get wet when it rained and started working as quickly as possible. Anna gathered as many tools as she could identify and we started working to put the parts in. I had already gone through and taken out all I could so started by going in as deep as I could started there to work my way up.

It was almost scary how well we worked together. Before I could even ask for something she was already giving it to me. She'd move to let me get a better angle on the part before I ever started to move. We didn't say one word for almost two hours. Of course I had only put in four parts when it started raining. No, it wasn't raining, it was a friggin down-pour.

It went from a light mist to heavy rains in literally two seconds. Anna jumped and quickly grabbed as much as she could from in front of her and dashed into the garage. I had to detach a few tools before I could get under the garage, of course in the extra thirty seconds I was in the rain to gather the tools and shut the hood I was thoroughly soaked. Stepping into the garage, I shook my head to get the extra water off and set everything I had in my arms down on the defunct air-hockey table.

I looked over to Anna and found her trying to ring out her shirt, which was drenched with rain water. Looking her over she was more wet than dry and her hair was totally flattened to her face. All I wanted to do was brush the hair out of her face. "You look soaked." I laughed.

She blushed a little and even smiled some. "So do you." She said nodding to my shirt which stuck to me like a second skin.

"Gotta love the rain." I groaned and tugged my shirt off easily and hung it over the deep freezer. I didn't feel the rain on me at all, but I hate the feeling of wet clothes on me and it's not like I need the damn thing on me anyway. She started looking more keenly at her feet. "You can leave your shoes out here to dry." I told her as I kicked off my own shoes and left them near the garage door. I hit the button to shut the retractable door as Anna walked up to my and carefully took off her shoes and left them neatly next to mine.

I was relieved that her socks were at least dry but her jeans were damp. The last thing I needed was my tiny imprint to get pneumonia. "Come on, I think some of my mom's clothes will fit you." I said walking into the house.

"I'm fine," She said shaking her head while she followed me. The lights from the dining room made her pale skin look blue.

There is no way in hell my imprint is going to stay in wet clothes. "If she were here she would insist, besides, it'll only be for like half an hour to dry your clothes." I pointed out calmly.

She had a thinking look on her face for a while before she sighed and nodded. I tried not to look too triumphant and walked down to my mom's room and grabbed a pair of sweat pants and one of her sleep shirts. Walking back out to Anna I tried to not grab her and bundle under a dozen blankets when I saw her shaking.

"Here, these should fit." I said handing her the clothes.

"Thanks," She murmured with a half smile and walked to the bathroom.

I went back to my room and changed into my cut-off's and put on a shirt just so Anna isn't any more uncomfortable than she normally is. I ran one of my dirty towels through my hair just to dry it off more and walked to the bathroom next door.

I knocked on the door lightly when I saw Anna was still in there. "Everything okay in there?" I asked confused.

The door opened just a sliver and half of Anna's face filled the gap. "The shirt is too small." She

"Uh, okay." I mumbled stupidly and walked back to my mom's room. The shirt is tight on my mom, but really, Anna is thinner than my mom. I tried to think of another shirt of my mom's that was bigger, but I was drawing a blank. I went back to my own room and ducked into my closet and pulled out a hoodie I haven't worn since I first phased since it's too small and I have no need for it. I went back to the bathroom and knocked on the door. The door cracked open and I held up the sweater. "Here," I said squeezing the sweater through the gap.

I waited, somewhat impatiently, for Anna to change still confused. I don't know why the shirt didn't fit for her, but I also had the feeling I didn't have the skills to ask her without screwing it up so I tried to let it go. Not long after I passed the hoodie through Anna full emerged.

In my dark blue hoodie and my moms baggy gray sweat pants Anna looked entirely at home. I smiled uncontrollably. "Better?" I asked amused.

She nodded bashfully and grabbed her clothes from the sink. "Yeah," She murmured.

"I'll put those in the dryer for you." I said reaching out to take the clothes from her.

"Its okay, I-" She was trying to be self-sufficient again. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it's not going to happen when I'm around. Not when there's already so much I can't do for her.

"I can do it, you can start setting up." I said firmly, nodding to the dining room table.

Her lips pursed and her brows knitted and I knew she really didn't want me to do anything else for her. "Alright," She sighed, passing me the heap of clothes. Good God my imprint is stubborn.

I went back to my room to grab my wet clothes and then ran them out the garage and tossed them in the dryer for forty-five minutes. In the dining room Anna already and the books spread out with paper and pencil ready. If she wasn't my imprint I wouldn't be suffering through all of this. Then again, it's not suffering with her. It's the complete opposite.

As always she was an amazing teacher, I was even almost starting to _like_ all the homework I had. Almost. I was starving before we were even halfway finished with my homework, not to mention the two tests I had to cram for.

My stomach whined obnoxiously loud and even Anna heard it. She looked at me with a raised brow. "Lunch?" I asked pathetically.

She bit her lip to try not to laugh. If only she knew I'd never mind her laughing at me. "Okay," She conceded with a nod.

I dashed into the kitchen and opened the fridge. There wasn't anything that I could slap together for a quick meal, only a ton of left-over's. I had been eating at Emily's a lot lately. "How do you feel about left-over's?" I asked hopefully.

"That's fine," She said with her tiny smile.

I put my head back in the fridge and started listing off everything I saw. "Alright we have hamburgers, hot dogs, lasagna, mashed potatoes, spaghetti, pork chops and I think that's Chinese food." I said warily. I looked back to Anna and she was smiling again. Just seeing her sitting comfortably in my house, wrapped in my hoodie and smiling made anything bad about my week just fly away.

"Lasagna," She said surely, still smiling.

"Good choice," I pulled out the lasagna, pork chops, spaghetti, hamburgers and mashed potatoes and tossed them into the microwave.

"Where's your mom?" Anna asked curiously while I supervised the microwave. I've done this before and it was a mess when I didn't take out the red sauce in time.

"Who knows, shopping somewhere probably?" I said with a shrug. I really didn't know and at the moment, I didn't care. Anna was there, smiling, that's all I need. I'll worry about my mother's escapades later.

I took out the lasagna after a minute and half then let the rest of stuff in there cook for another minute. I took the container to Anna with a fork and set it in front of her. "Thanks," She smiled. I gave her a crooked grin and forced myself to be parted with her beautiful smile when the microwave dinged.

I collected all of the containers of food with a fork and carried it back to the table easily and sat next to her like I had been. My mouth was full of hamburger within three seconds. "You eat a lot." She commented.

"I'm a growing man, I need it." I said defensively.

Her lips twitched into a smile quickly. "I see that." She chuckled, cutting a little piece of lasagna.

"You on the other hand..." I trailed off, watching her take a small bite of her lasagna.

"I stopped growing months before my seventeenth birthday, no need for an inflated diet." She told me before taking a small bite of lasagna.

Finally getting to the subject of her birthday I could find out the exact day. "When's your next birthday? Soon?" I asked trying to play oblivious. I already knew it was in February but I was desperate to know the date.

She shook her head. "Not until late February. You?" She asked politely. Dammit! Do I have to be a complete stalker and sneak into the school for her records just for her birthday?

"October twelfth." I answered blankly. Our birthdays were much of a deal anymore, not with vampires running around.

"That's pretty soon." She said surprised.

"Yeah," I sighed.

"Eighteenth?" She guessed.

I already stuffed food in my mouth, so to be polite I nodded.

"Big plans?" She asked curiously.

I swallowed. "Doubt it," I answered with a shrug.

"I thought you were supposed to have this huge bash on your eighteenth birthday." She said confused.

"Not so much here, I've got other responsibilities." I said trying not to sound as glum as I was. I would have loved a big party, especially with her. "What about yours?" I inquired quickly.

"I'm going to celebrate by graduating early and getting a place of my own." She said with a proud smile.

"Now that's one helluva celebration." I grinned. Six months and she'll be out of that hell hole, I can live with that. Maybe.

She sighed and had a guarded look in her eyes. "If I can actually get a place, most renters aren't that keen on letting eighteen-year-olds rent out their homes." She pointed out sadly.

"Anyone who meets you will know you're not a regular, stupid eighteen-year-old." I told her seriously. Hell, my mom would trade me for her any day.

She ducked her head and blushed, just like she always did whenever I made a semblance of a compliment. I still loved seeing her blush. "Thanks," She mumbled.

The horrific thought that she might move away started to grip me and the question fell out before I could stop it. "You moving far?" I asked tensely.

"I'm not sure. There isn't a college here but I'd really miss it." She said with a twisted frown.

"Really?" I asked confused. Most everyone I know is dying to get out of this town. Hell, Bella Swan turned into a friggin vampire to get out of here!

She nodded, moving her lasagna around with her fork looking a little depressed. "Yeah, Forks is my home." She said surely. I had the strong feeling that the town Forks was more her home than the actual house she lived in.

There was a loud ring from the garage and nearly sent Anna out of her skin. "Dryer," I said as I stood and walked to the garage.

I got the clothes out of the dryer and gave Anna back her shirt and jeans and tossed my clothes back into my room. She changed quickly and tried to give me my hoodie back.

"Keep it," I told her. She was about to protest, I could see it so I stopped her. "Seriously, it doesn't fit me anymore." I said honestly. It was getting small before I erupted into my now massive form.

She sighed and hung the hoodie over her arm. "Thank you," She said with a small smile.

After I had scarfed down all the food I had made we went back to my homework. We finished just before dinner but she said she had to go home so she couldn't eat dinner with me. As much as I didn't want to I drove her home.

"So, pick you up tomorrow?" I asked once I had pulled into the driveway.

She nodded. "I don't have anything planned for Tuesday if you-" I tried not to start bouncing when I heard that.

"Yes," I answered too quickly but I didn't care, I'd have her for the next two days.

She blushed brightly and climbed down from the truck. "Bye Paul," She said smiling.

"Bye Anna," I said as she closed the door.

I went home begrudgingly but when I went back to Anna's shed later that night, she was sleeping in my hoodie. Since the moment I imprinted on her I've been having a hard time actually being close to her. Seeing her sleeping in my hoodie made me feel like _I_ was sleeping next to her. There's just something about knowing she's got something that's mine that makes me think she's safer. Doesn't sound very sane, but that's what I feel. Besides, what part of imprinting is sane?

I felt Embry phase and a rush of his memories fell over me. He had imprinted. It was nothing new since I'd felt this a few times before but seeing it after I've imprinted is a little stranger. His thoughts, which had always been all over the place, were no centralized on a girl that couldn't be older than thirteen with clear-rimmed glasses and a really deep tan. Where the hell did he find her?

_The library._ Apparently he had to go to the library to check out a new comic book.

_Yeah, that explains it._ Typical Embry.

_Hey!_ He was always so overly defensive when it came to his nerd tendencies.

_Chill out Embry._

He quickly lost any anger he had and all he could think about was his imprint, who's name he didn't know, and how she walked home alone. He was seriously thinking about sulking around her apartment, which had no cover what so ever.

_No!_ I could hear him growl at me miles away and I didn't care. We both had patrols to run.

AN: Review!


	9. Doing What I Can

AN: Yeah, so that whole schedule thing, totally hasn't been as easy as I thought, but I'm working! I'm still going to try and keep up with it, but who knows how that's going to turn out. Thank you for all the support, I really love it! I hope you enjoy this new chapter and remember, I have pictures on my profile! :D

Chapter Nine

Doing What I Can

I almost killed Embry. Sure, imprinting isn't a choice but god dammit he doesn't have to fuck things up for the rest of us! The fresh pull of imprinting kept guiding Embry to a very populated part of Forks. A giant wolf walking down Main Street is not something we need so Sam ordered me Jared to hold him in the woods as close to his imprint as we could safely be while he went and contacted Jake.

_If I have to cancel tomorrow with Anna, Embry I will shred you._ Jared and I were practically standing on Embry to keep him where he was, which was still dangerously close to the freeway.

_Just let me go!_ The little shit was struggling under our paws, but I wasn't letting him move.

I growled and dug my paw deeper into his gut. _You dumb dog, stay put._

_What if she's in trouble?_ Embry was trying to guilt trip us into letting him go, but I sure as hell wasn't going to.

_We'd hear it and we wouldn't stop you._ Jared was trying to rationalize with our little freak.

Embry's flighty mind didn't stay long on trying to escape even though his limbs hadn't stopped moving. _You think she saw me?_

_Yeah, I'm sure she noticed the huge, Native gaping at her._ Yes, I was being painfully sarcastic, but it was either that or I was going to de-bone Embry.

Everyone, including Sam who popped up with Jake, heard that. _Paul!_

_Glad to hear you're still an ass even with an imprint. _Ah, yes, Jake hasn't changed a bit even with his infant imprint.

_He's yours._ I was ready to leave and check on Anna again.

_Paul! Stay with him until we get there._ Sam ordered in his Alpha voice and I was forced to keep my spot over Embry.

_Fine._ I growled and kept pushing my weight into Embry's furry body.

Jake was his normal smug self, but at least they were running toward us. And taking they're precious fucking time.

_So, how's Anna doing?_ Does he really think talking about the one person I want to get to is going to calm me down at all?!

_Jared, shut up._ I was continually growling now.

Before Jared could come up with another stupid idea police sirens came out of no where and pulled in front of the building. _Something's wrong! _Embry started to struggle like he hadn't before and neither me nor Jared would be able to keep him back any longer.

The three cops rushed up to the third floor, where I could smell an old lady and numerous cats. _They aren't even going to her floor!_ There was no point in rationalizing with Embry, but it couldn't hurt.

One of Embry's back legs got loose and kicked Jared a few feet back. _I have to get to her!_ He ran right for the road before I could breath but I started running for him as soon as my legs could manage.

_Paul keep him back!_ Sam and Jake were speeding up now. Bastards.

_We're trying!!!_ Jared tried to catch up to him, but I was three strides ahead of him.

I leapt ahead of Embry and kept my back to him. I lifted my back legs up and kicked his ass back into the woods. I heard him connect with a tree and then the tree fell. Loudly. But no one in town noticed. Embry was knocked out cold and I felt nothing but relief. It's for his own good anyway.

_There. _Jared was gaping at me in his wolf form and it was pretty amusing to see.

_Did you have to put him through a tree?_ Sam asked exhaustedly.

_Yes. _I stopped him, didn't I?

Jake, being faster, ran up to Embry and snapped at me angrily. I'd probably be a little angry if someone threw one of my best friends clear threw a tree to, but I doubt Jake would have wanted Embry running into the street either, so he can suck it up. Sam ran up a few seconds later and started to survey the damage. _You can go._ Sam nodded in the exact direction I was planning on going.

I ran so fast I was sure I had flown back to Anna's for one last peek at my sleeping imprint. She was still snuggled safely in my hoodie, she hadn't even moved from the last time I saw her. There wasn't a nightmare in sight and I was comfortable with leaving her to sleep. I ran back home just before the sun started to lighten the sky. I could hear Mom awake and moving around when I got to my backyard and phased back.

I pulled my shorts on and went into the house, almost splitting the door in half when I shut it. I was still a little aggravated. Mom walked into the kitchen just as I did.

"What crawled up your ass?" She asked as she pointed to the door.

"Embry imprinted." I grumbled, going to the sink for a glass of water.

"And how is that bad?" Mom asked confused.

I drank a full cup of water then re-filled it. "I had to stop him from running to said imprint, who was sleeping on the second story of an apartment." I answered flatly.

"Oh," She said with an apologetic look. I chugged the glass of water I had in my hand and then filled it again then flopped into my chair at the breakfast table. "Do you want me to call you in again?" Mom asked as she walked up to me.

I propped my head up to look at her and tried not to look tired. "I'll go and then catch a few hours of sleep until I have to pick her up." I told her.

"Promise?" She asked worryingly, acting all motherly.

"Yeah, promise." I said trying to be a little reassuring, even if I was too tired to focus on her.

"You'll be sleeping in your truck in parking lot, won't you?" She asked tiringly.

Wow, my mom knows me better than I thought. I nodded.

"I'd be worried if she didn't calm you down so much." She sighed rolling her eyes. She fixed her morning cup of coffee and I watched her since I was too tired to do anything else. After she had her coffee she started walking back toward the bathroom. "Eat while I shower and then you can have it, don't forget to wash behind your ears." She said with a grin.

I grumbled and got up to grab as much as I could from the fridge and ate to my hearts desire. After I wasn't starving anymore I cleaned up the mess I made and settled at the table and waited for my mother to come out of the only bathroom. I've been stuck in a house with the only bathroom occupied by damn near every woman I know, ironically the only one I haven't been in that situation with is my imprint, but of all the females the one who takes the longest is my mother. Its worse when she's on a date.

She finally came out of the bathroom, dressed and ready for work, over an hour later. "I'm not going to be home until later, so you'll have Anna to yourself again." She told me standing in the walkway of the kitchen.

"She's coming on Tuesday." I said sitting up a little straighter, hoping she'd say the same thing for Tuesday.

"Oh really," She said smirking devilishly. I'm not getting Tuesday alone with Anna.

"Don't you have lots of work to do?" I asked, grasping for anything to get my mother out of the house.

She shook her head happily. "Nope, I'll be home by six and I can make a big dinner for you two." She said enthusiastically.

I groaned. "Fine," I mumbled.

"Bye Sweetie." She said sweetly.

I rolled my eyes at her. "Bye Mom." I said blankly. She laughed and left after gathering her purse and keys.

I went to school half awake after that. I barely made it through the day with my eyes half open, let alone all the way. My teachers were unreasonably cranky and wanted to get on my bad side. If I had the energy I would have torn the school to shreds, but I was tired. After a quick lunch I drove to Anna's high school and parked in perfect view of where Anna normally came from.

I laid down, after rolling down the driver's side window so my feet could hang out enough for me to get semi-comfortable and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the seat.

It didn't feel like I slept for very long but apparently I had because I woke up to Anna leaning over me. Her eyebrows were pulled together tightly, and she looked so goddamn beautiful.

"You almost gave the teachers a heart attack." She said with pursed lips. I had the feeling that she was trying to stop herself from laughing, more than chiding.

I sat up and tried to bring my legs back into the truck. "Why?" I grumbled, trying to wake up.

"They thought you were dead." She answered with a grin coming to her face.

I stared into her laughing eyes and just wished she always looked this comfortable. "Eh," I shrugged.

"Then you snored obnoxiously loud and they seemed more annoyed than anything." She added sniggering a little.

"They'll get over it." I said shrugging again. Like I cared what these people thought of me. The only person that mattered was leaning into my truck, looking happier than I've ever seen her. "Come on," I said with a nod. She climbed into the seat and took up her normal position with her leg under her.

"So, why were you sleeping in the parking lot?" She asked confused, shuffling a little so she faced me more.

I knew the truth was out of the question so I shrugged once more and said the first normal thing that came to mind. "I got bored." I said simply.

"I believe that." She said shaking her head with a quiet chuckle.

I watched her laugh feeling calm and more rested than I had all day. After a few minutes I finally stopped watching Anna and started to pull out of the parking lot when I noticed all of the students in the parking lot staring at us. "How loud was I snoring?" I asked tensely, glaring at the idiots that gaped at Anna and me.

"Not that loud." She mumbled. I looked to her confused and she looked down at her lap. "The guys that pulled me off my bike are back in school." She said quietly.

I could feel my body start to shake, but I stopped myself before she noticed. I wanted to go find the little bastards and make them pay but my imprint was sitting next to me, looking insecure and I had a stronger urge to make her comfortable than to kill them.

I drove out of the parking lot without another word and started for my house. I tried to just focus on the road and driving like a responsible person but all I could think about was the fact that the assholes that tried to literally beat up my tiny imprint and they were now back at school with her.

"They didn't do anything, did they?" I asked suddenly as I drove into La Push.

She shook her head. "No, everyone just thinks I'm a freak, well more than before, because I hurt them so bad." She muttered.

"They got what they deserved." I said firmly.

Her head hung and she was staring at her hands again. "Not very many people think so." She murmured sadly.

I pulled off to the side of the road quickly to fix Anna's now somber mood. "Hey," I said reaching over to take her chin and force her to look up at me. Her eyes were swimming with confusion and tears. Dammit, if she cries I'm never going to be able to let her out of my truck. "They tried to hurt you and as far as I'm concerned, they should be hurting a lot more than they are for that." I said seriously.

I probably shouldn't have sounded so angry. Or as over-protective as I was. But I don't want my imprint self-deprecating herself. Ever. Especially not now.

Her mouth was cracked open in shock but her eyes gave everything else away. The blue-brown eyes were filled with so many emotions, sadness, hope, confusion and the last thing I ever wanted to see in my imprint's eyes, pain.

One single tear formed and fell from her eye. It felt like there was a vice-grip on my heart watching that damn tear slide down her pale cheek. I didn't know why she was crying but it didn't matter. I wiped the tear away with my thumb easily and that wasn't the best idea either.

She wasn't tense or uncomfortable, but I was _too_ comfortable. I couldn't push her boundaries, I can't even dance on that little line. But I couldn't move my hand. She looked like my hand was the only thing holding her together. I had a feeling that I _should_ drop my hand, but I physically couldn't. She still looked so depressed and I wasn't going to rein everything back in until I knew she was at least content.

My heart was falling to pieces seeing her like this. She's normally so guarded that I could never see what she was really feeling, but I could see it all now and god, its killing me. I couldn't stop myself, I slid closer to her and wrapped my arms around her and hugged her as tightly as I could without hurting her.

I expected her to tense up, to be extremely uncomfortable in the situation and I was already preparing myself for the pain that would follow, but she just fell into my arms and I felt more tears come as they soaked my t-shirt. Jesus Christ, this girl is going to make _me_ cry. Dammit Paul, don't cry, you're not smart enough to make up an excuse for it.

"If anyone gives you any grief, I'll take care of them." I grumbled with a tight throat and watery eyes.

"Why do you care?" I heard her little voice mumble from against my chest.

That killed me. It literally felt like there were a thousand knives just tearing through my chest. I couldn't find the function to breathe. The only thing my body would let me do was hold her tighter, which wasn't really all that surprising since that's all I wanted to do. I gripped her tight enough to make her almost mold into my own skin.

I tried to say something to make her feel better, but there weren't any words that could tell her how much I _did_ care. I kept my mouth shut since most of the time I end up making it worse when I try to say anything and just held her. I put my nose in her hair and waited, never letting my grip on her wane.

"I'm sorry," She murmured, not moving at all.

I rubbed her back and didn't loosen my grip on her at all. "For what?" I asked.

She tuned her head so her face wasn't buried in my chest anymore, and it gave me a little more room to hug her tighter. "I'm crying on you, over something petty." She answered with a tense voice.

Of all things that came to mind, I chose the safe answer, something my mother told me when I was little. "I've found usually when women cry over something, it's never petty to them." I hoped I sounded half as wise as my mom did when she told me.

"I don't understand why you're being nice to me." She said, still sounding sad and pathetic, making my stomach toss and my heart wrench. I'm never going to survive this. I'm just locking her in a bubble with me for the rest of forever.

I could taste the word 'imprint' on the tip of my tongue, but I swallowed it back down and chose a different answer. "It's how I was raised, if you have any complaints, you can take it up with my mom." I sounded more frustrated then I wanted to, but she didn't move.

"People aren't nice to me." She stated sadly.

"People are assholes." I said angrily. I couldn't understand for one minute why anyone wouldn't be nice to her. She's beautiful, she's smart and she's perfect. Then again, that might just be my favoritism talking.

To make all of this worth it, she laughed. Not as enthusiastically as I would have liked but she was laughing. She wasn't crying and there was a smile on her lips and that's all I can ask for.

"Thank you," She whispered, her voice sounding lighter than it has all day.

I hugged her tighter, if it was even possible, and tried my hardest not to bury my face in her hair. "It's my thing." I said, trying to sound casual and not spew out that it was my mission in life to make sure nothing in this world hurt her or even so much as made her frown. Sure, its romantic, but at this stage in our relationship its more creepy than sweet, so I think I'll just keep that stalker instinct under wraps until she at least trusts me enough to see inside her shed…

AN: Review! You know you want to. :P


	10. Thank The Sofa

AN: Hello my lovelies! After watching New Moon for the fifth time, yes it is amazing, I have finally updated!!! My main problem has been the flurry of ideas for a Bella/Jacob fic. I've never had the stomach(Bella irritates me!!!) to write a story for them, but the movie won't let me give it up. I have to write it. I'm still getting the ideas down but if I do go for it, I'll let you know. ANYWAY, back to this story. I love all the reviews, thank you all so much and I'm hoping to get the next chapter out soon. Please enjoy! :D Oh, and I have a Twitter account just to keep everyone informed about what I'm doing with my stories and what I'm stuck on at the moment, so go check it out if you're nosey like me!

Chapter Ten

Thank The Sofa

We made it back to my house after a few minutes more of comforting, She had to reassure me she was better for all of three minutes before I finally moved back to my seat and drove back home. I almost offered to have her sit in my lap while I drove, but I deduced that wouldn't be the best idea. My house was empty again, which I was thankful for since I knew Anna was already on edge and the last thing I wanted was for her to leave early, not while the tears on my shirt were still fresh.

We got out of my truck I could tell the day was really wearing Anna down. She looked like she did after she woke up from a nightmare and her massive backpack weighing her down wasn't helping. "Wanna just work on your car?" I asked pointing to the vehicle in question.

"You sure?" She asked trying, and failing, not to look hopeful.

"Yeah, I really don't wanna do my homework." I said shaking my head. I didn't have to lie one bit. I'd much rather be working on the car with her than trying to figure out math.

She nodded. "Okay," Her lips turned up into a slight smile, but I could tell she was completely relieved.

I opened the garage door and started gathering my tools, when I came out Anna was struggling with her backpack on her shoulder. It was a natural reflex that made me take the bag from her and toss it on a bin in the garage.

She blushed sheepishly and tucked her hands behind her and stood awkwardly in front of me. I couldn't stop the grin that took over my face.

"Alright, I hope you don't mind getting dirty." I said tossing her a rag.

She caught the tattered cloth and walked closer to me shaking her head. "Nope," She said surely.

"Good, because this is going to get messy." I said as I stuffed my own rag in my back pocket.

We started working as soon as I popped the hood open and I didn't have to stop once. She kept up with everything that I was doing. I started to think she knew more about cars than she led on if she didn't almost cross the brake lines. She was learning, faster than I did. Again my imprint has done nothing but amaze me.

I don't know how long we spent out there, but soon the sun had gone and when I went into the garage for extra light, I realized I was starving. I set up two extra lights and we worked for a few more minutes until my hunger became unbearable.

"Hungry? We've got loads more leftovers." I asked pointing to the house.

"Sure." She nodded, wiping her hands with the rag I had given her.

We went back into the house and she helped me re-heat some food for a quick dinner. We sat at the kitchen table and ate the mash-up of food quietly. Anna still looked tired but she wasn't tense at all. I still wanted to make her sleep for a day because of the bags under her eyes but the little twinkle in her eye made me feel better. I started to wonder if she would be any more rested tomorrow.

"You still sure about tomorrow?" I asked concerned.

She looked up from her bowl of stuffing, sweet potatoes and gravy with a slight smile. "Yeah," She answered quietly with a nod.

"Okay, but you know if you're not up to it, you don't have to come." I let her know. The last thing I wanted was for her to come out of obligation.

"I like coming here with you." She said shyly, biting her lip nervously.

I felt like the Grinch because I could have sworn my heart inflated a few sizes. Anna started blushing but didn't drop her eyes from mine. In all the time I had spent with her I have never wanted to kiss her, or just hold her, more than I do now. It's not fair that she's this perfect…

"Just so you know, tomorrow, my mom is going to be here, she wants to make a big dinner, if you don't mind." I told her unsure.

"I like your mom's cooking, too." She said smiling a little more.

"She'll like that. She likes you." I said smiling widely.

"Really?" She asked surprised.

"What's not to like?" I asked knowingly.

She smiled big enough to damn near make me swoon.

After we finished eating we went back to the garage and dark abyss that my front yard had become. "Your tools are a mess." She told me as she tried to navigate the floor that was covered in tools.

"There's nothing to stick them in so they get thrown around." I said shrugging. It was the reason my mother avoids the garage as much as she can.

Anna had a thoughtful look in her eye and a smile playing on her lips.

"What?" I asked suspiciously.

"Nothing." She said innocently, shaking her head.

I let it go and went back to taking out a stubborn piece. If I wasn't in front of Anna I would have yanked it out but it was held in by a half-an-inch steel bolt and she'd probably get a little flustered seeing steel snapped in two. After getting it out the old fashioned way I held it over my shoulder to keep it out of my sight. "Can you hold this for me?" I asked as I felt it taken from my hand.

Not even a second after she grabbed it I heard her cry out and the smell of blood hit the air.

I dropped my tools and spun to Anna. Her right hand had a cut across the palm and was bleeding freely. "Shit!" I cursed. I grabbed her hand and put as little pressure as I could on it so I wouldn't hurt her. The piece I had given her was on the ground and the end with her blood had a really sharp edge that I didn't notice. I started shaking.

"It's not that deep." Her little voice said from under me.

I looked down at her and she was looking more worried about me than her hand. I took a deep breath to try and stop my anger, but it was Anna squeezing my hand that got me to calm down. "Come on, we need to clean it out." I almost picked her up, moving her toward the garage door.

I took her straight to the kitchen sink and smacked the counter next to it. She looked at me confused so instead of speaking, which was hard for me to do at the moment, I picked her up and set her on the counter. She gasped a little but crossed her legs Indian style after a moment. I got the first aid kit from under the sink and started digging through it.

After almost snapping the box in half Anna reached out with her good hand and stopped me from shredding everything. I took in a deep breath and stared down at her small hand covering mine. Her hand was so much smaller than mine I could probably hold both of her hands with room to spare. Just looking at her thin, pale hand made me feel better, or maybe it was because she was touching me and not blushing to shying away from me. I let out a low breath and went back to taking things out of the box, without demolishing them.

I picked out the cotton swabs, alcohol and antibacterial ointment and took her sliced hand in mine. The wound was still oozing but at least wasn't very deep. "I'm sorry," I ground out as I gently poured warm water and alcohol over the slice.

"Why?" She asked softly.

"I should have told you that end was sharp." I told her, berating myself. How did I not notice that?!

"It's a stupid accident, you can't stop stupid accidents." She told me with the slightest amount of amusement in her voice.

I can sure as shit try.

I finished cleaning her hand and bandaging it without talking because I still felt like an idiot for letting her get hurt like that. "Your watching until that heals, motor oil in an open wound is not pretty." I almost ordered.

"Okay," She sighed, defeatedly.

I stood in front of her for a little longer, watching her as she tucked her hair behind her ears and flexed her fingers awkwardly. There was no more light and we had already eaten and Mom was coming home soon, it's just best to take her home. "I should probably take you home before you lose a hand." I muttered, stuffing everything back into the first aid kit and chucking it under the sink.

She nodded and slid off the counter.

We walked through the garage and shoved everything back in quickly and closed the door before we left. I'd probably park my truck in the woods after I drop her off and watch her for the rest of the night anyway.

The drive was quiet, almost painfully so, and the only thing I could smell was Anna's blood. It would be hard for me to let her go, but I'd be able to manage it. Or, I would have if I didn't pull into the driveway to hear bottles smashing and her idiot parents yelling at each other.

I leaned over Anna and pulled her door shut after she opened it a crack and spun out of the driveway and back onto the road back toward La Push in ten seconds flat. I would have done it faster but Anna didn't have her seatbelt on and I wasn't going to risk her safety for three extra seconds.

Speeding back to my house I could feel my body start to shake again. I physically couldn't leave her with them while they were fighting, not when she's already hurt. My vision was blurring from my shear frustration. Couldn't they give her one peaceful night? Or how about me?! I can't live like this! I could feel Anna looking at me like I was crazy man, which I kind of was, and I knew I'd have to explain myself. Dammit, I'm not good at this…

When I finally found my voice, it wasn't very calm or relaxed. "When I was twelve I came home from playing with my friends and it was quiet, too quiet." I started tightly.

I looked at Anna and she wasn't worried for her safety, but she was still very confused.

"My dad was in the kitchen, holding a knife to my mother's throat." I told her blankly.

Just by the look in her eyes I could tell she knew everything I had felt when it happened, and how I was feeling now.

I looked back to the road, gripping the steering wheel enough to make it creak. "I threw my baseball at his head so hard it spilt his forehead open and he dropped the knife." I said feeling a little proud of my younger self but I still had a lump in my throat from thinking about how scared my mom was. I cleared my throat and breathed deeply. "I ran up to him and told him if I ever saw him again I'd kill him myself with that knife." I continued solemnly.

Looking back to Anna I hoped she understood what I was trying to tell her, what I couldn't flat out say because if I did it would start a chain reaction that would lead me to telling her everything. She didn't look confused anymore.

"After Mom pulled me away she took me to Seth's parent's house for the night and the next day we went home and he was gone, with all his stuff." I finished, feeling a lot calmer.

Anna slid over, just enough so she was next to me but not touching me, and put her hand on my hand, which was still clenching the seat of my truck. To say I was surprised was an understatement. This wasn't the Anna I first imprinted on, but that's something I'm totally fine with because this Anna is starting to accept physical contact.

"Thanks," She murmured quietly.

I turned my hand and held the dainty hand that had been resting on top of mine carefully. Anna looked down at our hands, conflicted for a moment before gripping my fingers comfortably. I almost sighed in relief. I wasn't feeling any residual anger now, the only thing I was feeling was utter happiness.

I had no problem driving back home one-handed and Anna didn't seem too flustered with me taking her back. Mom was of course home and Anna got a little nervous seeing her car so I held her hand a little tighter. She gave me a small smile and we got out of the truck and walked into the house.

"Paul?" Mom asked confused, walking from the kitchen.

"Her parents were fighting." I said simply.

"Ah," I knew she wouldn't have to know more than that and that I wouldn't have to tell her that I wasn't leaving Anna's side for the night. "You don't mind the couch do you? It's more comfortable than Paul's bed anyway." Mom asked as she went to the hall closet to pull out an extra pillow and comforter for the couch.

"You don't have to do that." Anna said going up to her and try and help.

"It's no problem. And I can get to you school in the morning, it's on my way as it is." Mom said walking around her with the pillow and comforter and dropping them on the couch.

Anna looked between me and my mom and I could see in her eyes she knew she was trapped. She sighed and nodded. "Okay," She said with a small shrug.

I had the same triumphant smile on my face my mom had as Anna dropped her backpack and sat on the couch.

We filled the rest of the night with mindless television and little bits of conversation. At around eleven Mom 'went to bed' and half an hour later when Anna started yawning I was ready to 'pass out' and left her alone in the living room. We were both spying from our rooms. By midnight Anna was asleep and I was leaning against the closest wall, watching her sleep. It felt odd being in the same room with her and not having to worry about her catching me.

I barely noticed Mom come out of her room and touch my shoulder. "Paul, can we talk?" She asked quietly.

I didn't want to leave Anna, even for the slightest moment because I had no idea when I'd have this opportunity again, but my mom sounded urgent. "Yeah," I murmured and walked with her to the front porch.

"I got offered a promotion today." She said with a self-deprecating smile.

"Awesome," I said suspiciously.

"It's in Seattle." She said carefully.

It felt like the world dropped out from under me. I couldn't leave La Push, my entire life is here. Literally. I could feel myself start to shake violently at the thought of leaving. "Mom, I can't move to Seattle, the pack, Anna!" I bellowed, pointing to the living room window were Anna slept soundly. I had to start pacing to keep myself from phasing.

"Do you honestly think I would do that to you?" She asked incredulously.

I stopped and looked at my mother like she was ten feet tall and spoke Japanese. What the hell is she talking about?

"The mortgage on this place was paid off five years ago and I figure you can handle the little bit of utilities there are on your own, maybe get a roommate." She explained with a sly grin.

"You'd move out, by yourself?" I asked stupidly.

"I'm a big girl Paul." She laughed. She had a point. "And you're a grown man. Think of it as a birthday present." She added, brushing my hair from my forehead.

I was a new level of conflicted. The thought of having a place to myself was great, but I really didn't want to lose my mom. Who else will cook for me when I don't want to go to Sam's? "When would you go?" I asked trying not to frown too much.

"Not until after Christmas." She assured me.

I thought about it. Mom had really been focusing on me and work ever since my jackass father left, well ever since I threatened him, so I guess moving out to Seattle might be a good thing for her. Give her a life of her own kind of thing, I guess…

"Don't worry, this will be a good thing. I'll still be close by and I won't cramp your style." She said patting my face. "But I will be coming back on the weekends and my house better be intact." She ordered sternly.

"Depends on my roommate." I said grinning.

She huffed and went back into the house. I followed but stopped in the living room. Anna was still sound asleep and looking more like an angel every second. There was something so different about the way she slept in front of me from how she slept in her shed. There was no tossing or turning or nightmares. If there was a way, I'd keep her right there, asleep on my couch for the rest of eternity just because she's so at peace there. She's protected.

I walked up to the couch and crouched down in front of her, carefully leaning over and pressing a long kiss to the corner of her mouth. It killed me not to be able to actually kiss her, but it still started a fire in my chest. It still gave me peace of mind in my turbulent world.

AN: Review!!!


	11. Different Situation

AN: Hi! Fist thing you guys are going to notice is this chapter is in Anna's POV!! I know I said I wasn't going to do it for a while but I think Anna's thoughts of all of this were needed. I'll probably be doing this every ten chapters. Also, I'm participating in two fic challenges so I probably won't be updating until I've finished the fics. Oh and the biggest news of all, Save Her was nominated for a Howling Wolf Award!!! http://thehowlingwolfawards(dot)webs(dot)com/voting(dot)htm Go there to vote!!!! Its nominated for two categories so vote in both. :) Enjoy as always!

Chapter Eleven

Different Situation

(Anna's POV)

I had never woken up in anyone else's house. I was always in my shed, on my small cot, usually shaking from a nightmare. But this time was completely different. I'm normally wide awake when I do get woken up but the only thing that would move was my eyes.

I had sunken so deep into the plush couch I was sure one of my legs had been eaten by the cushions and I probably wasn't even visible to others. The house was quiet and I couldn't see Paul in my line of sight and I was thankful for that. Lately he has been catching me in a lot vulnerable moments and it would be nice to keep one to myself.

I pulled myself out of couch, sitting up and stretching out my back. My shoulder cracked and my neck popped but it felt good. I took the blanket I had been given, folded it and placed on the pillow before I stood up.

"Morning," A happy voice said from the kitchen behind me.

Even though the voice was friendly, I still jumped out of my skin and spun to look at them.

Dana looked at me apologetically from the kitchen. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." She said with a frown. "Coffee?" She offered, pointing to the pot with still brewing coffee.

I swallowed my heart back down to where it belonged and nodded. "Sure," I tried not to sound as uncomfortable as I was. I'm not at all used to waking up in places that are not my shed.

I walked into the kitchen slowly and sat at the small kitchen table. "How do you like it?" She asked smiling brightly. I wonder how much coffee she's had this morning…

"A little sugar and a lot of cream." I answered, lowering my hands to my lap so she couldn't see me pick at my cuticles out of nervousness.

Dana nodded and took another mug out of the cabinet and started making my coffee.

The rest of the house was eerily quiet and I wondered if Paul was even home. I couldn't stop glancing over my shoulder, almost waiting for him to come out of no where. They were both very good at surprising people.

"Paul's still asleep, if you were wondering." Dana told me as she sat down in front of me, pushing my mug into my hands.

I took a gulp of the hot liquid just to calm my nerves, as backwards as it sounds. "Oh," I said trying to play it off a casually as possible. The grin that split her face didn't go unnoticed to me when she raised her mug to her lips.

"When you're done with that you can take a shower, I put a towel and some clothes in the bathroom." She said after a long sip.

"You didn't have to do that." I said shaking my head. I've never met anyone as nice and accommodating as Paul and his mother and it's a little uncomfortable for me.

"Sweetie, its fine really, I've been meaning to do something with those clothes anyway, they make me look like one of those ridiculous women that try to imitate their teenage daughters." She said rolling her eyes. I wonder if she knew that she could pass for a woman in her mid-twenties…

I sighed. "Thanks," I murmured before gulping the rest of my coffee then put it in the sink and walked for the bathroom.

"Watch out, the tub is a little slippery." She called out as I reached the door of the bathroom.

There were two towels and a pile of clothes on the laundry hamper of the room, like Dana had said, and to my good fortune they were dark jeans and a black shirt. The clothes were a lot like what I normally wore, only they were closer to my actually sizes than what I would wear. I set the clothes on the counter next to the door and took off the clothes I was wearing, folding them and setting them behind my new clothes.

I took a quick shower because that's what I'm used to doing and used the tooth brush in the medicine cabinet that was sealed in plastic to brush my teeth and the comb on the counter to brush out my hair and put it in a ponytail. I dried off quickly and changed into the clean clothes.

It felt very awkward to wear clothes that fit properly and I didn't exactly like it. I preferred my baggy clothes, they were easier to layer. I tried to stretch out the shirt more but to no avail. I was stuck with them the way they were. I gave up and put my towel in the hamper and took my clothes back to the living room where my backpack was. I had to stuff them in, but I could at least zip up my backpack.

I was trying to move things around in my bag when I felt familiar eyes on my back and I was acutely aware of the fact that the small of my back was showing because the shirt rode up while I was crouched down. I swallowed and stood slowly, turning on my heels just as slow.

Leaning against the wall between the living room and kitchen was Paul by himself, looking down at me with smiling black eyes. He was fully clothed, in jeans and a plain white tee that looked a little too tight. If he didn't look so cheerful I'd be scared, because he's so muscled he could rip me to bits and not even break a sweat. But he also looked ridiculously inviting and warm.

I still couldn't understand why he looked at me like that, why he was kind to me. I know how he normally treats people. He used to come into the diner and always looked angry but one day he wasn't angry when I looked at him. I don't know what changed and it is strange but I don't want to question it, I've never had this much good fortune in my life and I won't ruin it by complaining.

"Hey," He said grinning.

I felt my knees wobble a little, it was something that happened a lot around him. "Hi," I chirped trying not to look down at my feet.

Paul kept smiling at me, looking straight at me. It was almost like he knew that I was nervous about the clothes I was wearing because he didn't once look down. It made me feel a little more confident that they weren't that noticeable. And once I the spare jacket I kept in my locker no one would notice anything.

Still smiling, Paul opened his mouth to say something but Dana came striding out of her room and right between us. "Ready?" She asked over her shoulder as she went to the front door and grabbed her keys.

Paul started growl lowly as he looked at his mother. "Um, yeah." I answered nervously, grabbing my bag and rushing to the door.

"You're leaving, now?" Paul asked with tightly knitted brows and a frown pulling at his lips.

"To beat traffic, yes." Dana answered knowingly.

A staring contest started between the mother and son and I was sure it would end in bloodshed until Paul let out a low breath. "Fine," He ground out. It startled me a little, hearing him sound so angry but when he looked at me there was nothing but sadness in his eyes. "I'll pick you up later?" He asked depressingly.

I nodded almost uncontrollably. "Yeah," I answered quietly, slightly stunned that our leaving was making him so sad. "Bye," I said, waving smally.

Paul only waved sadly.

Dana rushed me out of the house and into her sedan. The drive with her was a lot different than Paul. I didn't feel the sureness that I'd be safe with her that I had with Paul and the sedan drove much differently than the pick-up. Nothing against Dana, but I prefer Paul and his truck.

We had only been in the car two minutes top when Dana started talking. "Sleep well?" She asked sweetly.

"Yes, actually." I answered smiling a little.

"I told you it's a comfy couch." She said knowingly.

It was true, that couch ate me up and I never wanted to be spat out.

"I had an ulterior motive for driving you to school." Dana said suddenly as she turned a sharp corner.

"Oh?" I asked worryingly, gripping my seat.

She took in a deep breath and looked at me honestly. "Paul is turning eighteen in two weeks and we're having a party for him the weekend of his birthday." She told me excitedly. "He's not expecting anything, which is just how we want it, and I'm sure he'd love for you to come." She added with the mischievous glint in her eye that I had seen in Paul's. I knew there was something else to worry about but I was too surprised because I was invited to a party. That has never happened to me.

"Really?" I asked shocked.

She nodded. "Truly." She said honestly.

I thought about it for a moment, weighing the pros and cons of going and not. The only pro it needed was that I would be away from my house for any amount of time… "Well, I did buy him a tool chest." I murmured, smiling to myself.

Dana wavered a little. "Chest?" She asked confused.

I nodded. "For helping me with my car." I explained. She continued to look at me strangely. "It doesn't really seem fair that I'm just tutoring him for rebuilding my clunker." I finished, shrugging. I'd probably always feel like Paul was getting short changed because of all the work he's doing on my car.

"You'd be surprised." She said grinning. Her smile was unnerving me because she knew something I didn't and I never liked not knowing things, especially when they involved me. "I'm sure he will love it, and I might get some of my garage back." She laughed happily.

I managed a quick and small smile through the uncomfortable feeling in my gut. I was thankful that the rest of the drive with Dana was quiet because I didn't want to seem ungrateful with my edgy mood. As much as I enjoyed spending time with Dana, I was almost glad to be at school. We were there half an hour later than I normally was and there were a lot more students now. Nervousness quickly followed as Dana stopped in the drop off line.

When we got to the head of the line, Dana looked over to me and smiled widely. "Have a good day." She said completely oblivious to all that I would have to endure for the day.

I forced another smile and nodded. "You too." I said quietly then left with the sedan, clutching my bag and rushing through the crowd of other students, wishing I had Paul's warm hoodie with me instead of the old winter coat waiting for me in my locker.

The rest of my school day consisted of strange looks from everyone, including the teachers and being treated like a leper. I was seriously considering faking some illness just to get out of the rest of my classes, but they would just call my parents. I suffered through the day, trying my hardest to slip around unnoticed like I normally did, but it was futile.

However, the whole day wasn't completely horrible. While I was walking out to the parking lot, where Paul was already leaning against the passenger door of his truck, the three boys I had injured when they tried to pull me off my bike crossed between me and Paul. They looked like trapped rats as they looked frantically between the both of us before running off in a less than graceful manner.

I tried my hardest not to laugh as I walked up to Paul who was now standing erect and stern. His abyss-like eyes were watching the injured boys flee with a lot more anger than I expected from him. I walked up to him slowly and carefully. Paul hasn't hurt me in any way, but he is still really big and I'm sure if he was provoked enough he could.

When I was directly in front of him he finally looked down at me. "That them?" He asked shortly, nodding the direction they ran.

"Yep," I nodded, looking down at my feet.

"Any trouble?" He asked concerned.

I looked back up at him to see his dark eyes now void of hate and anger with tense eyebrows. His concern for me was still surprising, even though it seemed he was always worried about my well being. "None," I answered surely. Its not trouble if everyone is avoiding me like the plague.

"Good," He said relieved as he pushed himself off his truck and opened the door for me, like he always did. It still surprised me when he did because he just doesn't look like the kind of guy that would do something so polite or do it as often as he does.

I climbed into the truck and quickly buckled myself in. Paul was in with a few seconds later and we were off. I tried not to look in his general direction, as much as I wanted to, and focused on the road. He took the same way he did every other day, driving effortlessly. I was completely comfortable with him in the driver's seat, even when he started gripping the wheel for no apparent reason.

His knuckles would go white, paler than even myself, which stood out brilliantly against his copper skin and his eyes would be tense. At first I always thought it was my fault, but when he'd look at me there was little-to-no anger in his eyes and it was like nothing ever happened. It made me curious to see him in such a mood but I'd never have the courage to ask him what he was thinking. After all, if someone wanted you to know what they were thinking, they'd tell you freely.

"We should probably just work on homework today." I said when the silence reached a head.

"Yeah," Paul grumbled. He didn't look too excited about it, but I doubted he would give me any trouble.

The rest of the drive back to his house was quiet, but not uncomfortably so. The whole area was void of human existence as per usual. I always enjoyed it that way. Paul and I walked into the house and I hung my bag on the chair at the head of the table and sat. Paul disappeared down the hall to his room and I was alone in the dining room.

Even though the house I 'grew up' in was bigger, the modest house was still nicer, homier, and warmer. It was everything my shed couldn't be. I'd still miss it when I moved out though. That pile of woof has been my refuge for years. Maybe I could take it with me…

A large copper hand waved in front of my face and I was snapped from my thoughts. "Anna?" Paul asked amused.

"Oh, sorry, I zoned out for a minute." I said tucking my hair behind my ear self-consciously. I rarely ever do that and it's embarrassing when I get caught.

Paul smiled wider, enough to show off his sparkling teeth. "It's alright," He said casually.

I quickly pulled his algebra book from the stack he brought back with him and started flipping through the pages. "Okay, so let's find out where we left off." I mumbled to myself.

Paul's homework took a little longer than usual since we hadn't done it in a few days. He was still having some problems with algebra but he was doing a lot better than when we started out. I've been impressed with all the work he's been doing with his homework and my car. I've only known a few people who worked that hard.

We worked for three hours straight before he begged to eat. He was like a bottomless pit for all the food he could find. I could understand because of his since but it was still amazing to watch. There weren't any leftovers so Paul made hotdogs and grilled cheese. I only had a hotdog but Paul managed to eat ten hotdogs and seven grilled cheese sandwiches. Without stopping.

Once he had filled his stomach, or at least put food in it, we went back to his homework. It didn't take much longer to finish everything up and we were almost left with nothing to do until Dana came rushing into the house.

"I'm sorry I'm late!" She yelled out, running into the kitchen to unload and armful of groceries.

Dana made us a _huge_ dinner which I ate very little of even though it was delicious. She set aside two containers especially for me and made Paul promise not to touch them. After dinner, since we had nothing else to do, Paul took me home very begrudgingly. I was just as hesitant. I hadn't been home in over a day and I was scared to see what might have happened in that time.

Everything seemed to be okay from the outside when we got there and regrettably my parents were actually home. Paul's hands started gripping the steering wheel so tightly and painfully I was sure it would snap at any second.

"Promise me you'll call if they start anything." Paul said tensely, looking at me with pleading eyes.

"We don't have a phone." I said lamely. We did have a phone, but it's in the house and I'm not.

Paul looked like his head was going to explode. He really was upset about my parents fighting and me possibly getting pulled into it which is understandable giving his past but it's still extremely strange to me.

"But if anything happens I'll get down to the gas station." I added as soon as I could.

He let out a long breath and dug his hand into one of his front pockets and handed a folded piece of paper to me. "That's my cell and house number, and I put Sam's number on there in case. Emily will always answer if anything happens." He told me with dead serious.

I held the paper tightly in my hand. "Okay," I said quietly.

His whole body slumped in what looked like complete devastation. "Night," He murmured sadly.

Just the look on his face made the air in lungs disappear. "Goodnight," I croaked.

I really didn't want to leave the truck, but I wasn't going to use up all of Paul's hospitality either. I hopped out of the truck, holding my backpack tightly to me and pulled my bike from the back without looking at Paul again because it would only make the pit of despair in my gut bigger.

AN: Review!!


	12. Carry On

AN: First off, thank you for all the reviews! Sadly I didn't win any of the awards this story was up for, but it truly was an honor to be nominated. :) This chapter is back to Paul's point of view and soon all will be revealed to Anna! I'll have a link for Kevin on my profile ASAP and I hope you all enjoy!

Chapter Twelve

Carry On

I never thought I'd be able to leave her at that house again. But I managed somehow. I think it was because I had her for more than a day without having to give her back to her parents. I didn't get very far from her house though. I parked my truck in the same spot in the woods I always did and phased then snuck around to the woods behind her shed.

She was unpacking her backpack glumly when I got back to her. Her idiot parents were in the house and I would be fine so long as they stayed away at least until Sunday. I can easily convince the pack to turn the assholes into wolf food if they do anything to her again. Shit, Emily will probably help.

My plans to get elder Roland's to disappear were halted when I saw Anna pull my hoodie out from under her cot and quickly tug it on. She went from downtrodden to happily content in seconds flat. Damn, I'm so good my _clothes_ can make her happy. I should be getting that award for best almost-boyfriend any day now.

_Yes, stalking is completely romantic and definitely one quality all women look for in men._ Leah commented snidely. It's not fair that the girl has the ability to 'sneak phase'. There are something's that are sacred!

_Yeah and all guys want a snarky-stuck-up-bitch to spend forever with._ I retorted.

I knew that my comeback hurt her, and pretty deep too, but she doesn't expect pity from me and if she does then she needs to be institutionalized because only Anna gets my pity and they don't look anything alike… _Quil needs you to cover his patrol tonight._ Her voice was quieter than it had been and a hint angrier.

I focused back on Anna when she mentioned patrolling. Try not to completely loose your temper with her Paul. _Why?_

_Claire has the chicken pox and he's the only one that can take care of her. _She answered annoyed. Damn Claire and her weirdo parents who never had the stupid chicken pox…

_Dammit!_ I cursed loudly.

Anna was back to doing her homework and there wasn't any sign of sadness on her face. Her father was snoring and her mother was at the brink of passing out herself. I could leave her. I don't want to but its possible. Besides, if I do this for Quil I can get him to cover for me if I ever get her out to the Rez other than her days off.

I growled lowly and backed away from Anna's shed. _Fine, but that bastard owes me!_

_Tell him that!_ Leah roared.

Yeah, Quil more than owes me for covering his patrol, not to mention doing it with crabby ass. I spent four hours running with Leah's voice ringing through my head while we irritated each other. She was pissed because all I could think about was Anna and I was pissed just because I could be.

After our patrol Leah ran off somewhere and I went back to Anna's shed to check on her. It was almost midnight she was still nose deep in books, but her mood was still a good one and the drunkard parents were out cold. I stayed anyway since I didn't have any orders from Sam or my mother and really, when would I ever pass up a chance to be with Anna? Okay, so I'm not really _with her_ but I'm close enough, watching out for her because she means more to me than my own life.

Not long after I had gotten there she started to yawn. It only took two more minutes before she was abandoning her books and crawling into her bed, still in my hoodie. She didn't toss and turn as much as she usually did, but it took her a while to fall asleep. Half an hour later, I was sure she was settled into a deep sleep and her cheeks were pink with warmth, I could finally relax. I thought about going back home for a spilt second because it had started to rain but laying in the cold mud behind Anna's shed was always more appealing than a warm, dry, bed without her.

I slept about as well as any creature did in sopping dirt that night. Anna woke up to an alarm clock rather than a nightmare and I was eternally grateful for that. The rain had also lessened to a light mist but it was still enough to make my imprint shiver when she went into the house for her morning shower. She left the house at her normal time and I followed her to her school.

She had gotten even more wet by a few passing cars on the way. I still had the over whelming urge to flip them down the side of a mountain, but I didn't. I was proud of myself. I left her at the high school where she retreated to the warm buildings for the next few hours. From there I ran back to my truck and drove back home, as usual.

After my shower I didn't want to go to school, I wanted to go check on Anna, but if I didn't Sam would gladly send Leah after my ass. School is safer. My classes were particularly boring and didn't hold any kind of new information that would help me succeed in life. They were just a complete waste of time, but isn't that what high school is supposed to be?

When I finished my last class I was going to drive back down to the high school and sleep in the parking lot until Anna got out then follow her to the diner. Like any other normal person. But Sam was waiting for me.

"What?" I asked annoyed.

"Anna stayed the night?" He asked pointedly.

My hands clenched automatically to stop myself from lashing out. "She slept on the couch and her parents are still alive, what more do you want from me?!" I ground out.

He sighed and backed down a little. There were too many witnesses for him to try and interrogate me further, not like anyone here would report it. Everyone on the Rez knew Sam was one of the 'golden boys'. I barely retained the title myself. "When are you going to tell her the truth?"He asked curiously.

"I don't know, it's not like I have that many 'wolf-out-of-the-bag' experiences to draw wisdom from. You sent Em to the hospital, Kim could care less because all she wanted was Jared, Claire is too young to understand, Embry still doesn't have the balls to _talk_ to his imprint and Jake managed to imprint on the mutant spawn of our sworn enemies." I ranted angrily. It was true. I didn't have a normal experience to pull inspiration from.

"It's a cold day in hell when you're the normal one." He said laughingly.

"Yeah," I grumbled. Sam chuckled to himself for a few seconds and I figured it would be the best to time to tell him about the news my mom had. "Uh, my mom is moving to Seattle for a promotion." I told him awkwardly. His eyes went wide and he went to say something about it. "I'm not going, she's leaving me the house. I was thinking about getting a roommate." I said with a shrug.

Sam let out a heavy breath and nodded. "Embry has a part time job lined up once he finishes school, you two could help each other with your pale-face imprints." He said teasingly.

"Shut up," I said as I shoved him.

"Of course that wouldn't be conducive to romancing Anna if you ever manage to tell her the truth." He said grinning even more.

"It's a delicate situation!" I yelled, resisting the urge to kill him. I really didn't like being made-fun-of.

"And your hands are the wrong ones to deal with it." He muttered knowingly.

I slumped. "I know, either way I'm screwed." I grumbled.

"You'll figure it out." He said surely, patting my back. I grunted before he spoke again. "Your mom wants you home." He said, still trying not to laugh.

"What?" I asked confused. She should be at work.

"She asked me to pass the message along." He answered with a shrug.

I growled. "Fine," I shoved him away from my truck and climbed into the driver's seat.

I drove off watching Sam in my rearview mirror as he walked back into the woods, wondering what he was doing at my house. I could get the answer the next time we phased but I had to go home to figure out what the hell my mother was doing home in the middle of the day.

In the driveway at my house was my mom's car and a shiny black sports car that looked like it cost more than everything in my entire house. I parked in the lawn and strode up the door where I could smell someone else in the house with my mother. I barged in and found my mother cuddling with a dark haired guy.

"Mom?" I asked trying not to growl.

Mom jumped up and spun to look at me. "Paul! This is Kevin, my boyfriend." She said quickly as the guy stood. He was a few inches shorter than me and in a suit. My mother has bad taste.

"I'm leaving." I said lowly, turning to leave.

"Hold your horses!" She yelled before I could take a step.

"Dana, it's alright, I know this is an awkward situation for young men." Kevin shut your mouth before you lose it!

I tried my hardest not to hit the idiot. "I'm really not in the mood for this." I ground out.

She could tell I was about to lash out at something and her boyfriend was the perfect target. "I have a great idea! We can go out to dinner later, there is a diner down in Forks with really good burgers." She was looking at me with knowing grin and knew she was talking about the diner Anna worked at. She's a lot smarter than I give her credit for.

I wasn't going to turn down an opportunity to see Anna, no matter the circumstances. "Fine, but I have homework." I said unclenching a little.

"You've got until five-thirty, why don't you go to Sam's for a little peace and quiet." She said inching closer Kevin. Please God don't let them do anything in the kitchen…

"Yeah, because Seth and Embry's farting contests are the soundtrack to peace and quiet." I grumbled, walking back out to my truck before the urge to hit my mothers pretty-boy boyfriend came back.

I went to Sam's like Mom had told me to but the house was empty, save for Embry who was using the house to hide out because he was certain he made his imprints father suspicious, who happens to be a newly retired Marine and about as big as Jared. Embry could still win in a fight, but it would probably be a close one.

I pretended to do homework up until fifteen minutes before Mom wanted to leave for the diner. I drove back home and Kevin's black sports car was still in the driveway. Pretentious asshole. The only reason I'm doing this is because I get to see Anna again. And without having to worry about getting caught stalking her. Mom came out as soon as I pulled in and she told me to go ahead and they would meet me in a few minutes. I think she knew I would be in a better mood if I spent some time with Anna before dinner with her and Kevin. Which was very true. I might not even hit him.

At the diner I took the first parking spot I could find then as calmly as I could I went into the diner. The first thing my eyes laid on was Anna wiping down one of the front tables. I felt instantly relieved and walked up to her.

"Hey," I said trying not to smile to broadly. I didn't want to look like a clown or something…

She spun quickly to look at me. "Hi," She gasped. "What are you doing here?" She asked confused.

"Meeting my mom for dinner with her boyfriend." I answered none too happy, even with _her_.

Her eyes went wide. "Oh," She mumbled knowingly.

"It's as weird as it sounds." I grumbled sourly.

She sighed and picked up her bin. "Good luck, I suppose." She offered awkwardly with a shrug.

"Yeah, I'm gonna need it." I grumbled, stuffing my hand in my pockets so I wouldn't smooth down the stray hairs that settled around her eyes.

She gave me her usual small smile and went back to her busing duties. I wanted to follow her around the diner and try to get more of a conversation out of her, but the table I liked near the kitchen was empty and the dinner rush was coming in so I sat down before anyone else did.

My mother and _Kevin_ showed up five minutes later and sat across from me. "Paul," She said warningly, glancing at her boyfriend.

"Mom," I said through my teeth. Kevin looked extremely uncomfortable, like he should be.

A waitress bounded up to us as soon as they had sat down. "Hello, my name is Brittany, what can I get you today?"

The perky blonde took our orders and bounced off into the kitchen. Mom tried to pull me into a conversation but I was only looking in Anna's direction. Kevin didn't have anything important, or even impressive to say so there was no reason to take any of my attention from Anna to him. My mother didn't like that, but she didn't say anything. She knew the only reason I was in the same room with them was because Anna was in the room too.

She sighed got up from the booth. "Excuse me," She said, walking toward the bathroom. "Behave," She whispered to me as she passed me.

With my mother gone I had even less of a reason to acknowledge Kevin so I focused all of my attention on Anna as she tried to carry a full bin of dishes to the kitchen.

"You like her." He noted smugly.

"If you like your eyes, Kevin, you'll shut up." I snarled lowly, continuing to watch Anna as she struggled with the bin.

Kevin turned whiter than the walls and didn't get any color back until my mother came back a few minutes later. "What did you say?" She yelled frustrated when she saw her much paler boyfriend.

I took my eyes off Anna to look at my mother, who loomed over me. She only accomplished this because I was sitting but I still feared for my hide. "He's asked a stupid question." I answered simply.

I could see the same fury I would get in my own eye. People who didn't know my mother thought I got my anger from my father. God were they wrong, and if they could see her now they would probably be amazed but would understand. "Kevin, ignore him please, my son is infernally grumpy especially when it comes to the little mouse over there." She said nodding back toward Anna as she lowered herself back down to Kevin's side.

"She has a name Mom." I bit out. She liked Anna, she was just being a bitch to try and set me in my place.

"And I'm sure you have manners. Use them!" She snapped. Kevin was looking more and more nervous by the second. My guess is he was waiting for the battle to ensue. "Don't make me threaten your tutoring time." She threatened seriously.

Dammit! This must be what Superman feels like around kryptonite. "I apologize." I forced out through my teeth.

"Thank you." She said victoriously.

The perky and oblivious blonde, whose name I've already forgotten, came up to the table with a tray full of our dinners. "Here are your burgers!" She said happily. We all looked at her, wondering what kind of drugs she was on to make her so god damned chipper.

It was horrible. God, I thought I've been through bad stuff in my life but two days with my mother and her boyfriend was freaking terrible. I couldn't slip off and go with the pack because Mom wanted me to bond with Kevin. Eating a meal or two with him and forcing me through a movie with him doesn't count as bonding. Ever.

I had to run my patrols at night, without waking up her precious Kevin, which wasn't hard since he slept like the dead. None of the pack was allowed over either since she couldn't trust them to keep their mouths shut. I had to be as normal as I could be, but she didn't try to tell me not to check on Anna. Which is the only reason I tried to be civil… ish.

Thursday night was turning out to be as tense as Wednesday when Kevin tried to get all of us to play Scrabble. Seeing as how I'm barely passing English and that I hate the subject, my mother didn't object when I left the living room. It was only nine-o'clock and I wanted to go see Anna, but Mom had asked me to wait until Kevin was sleeping.

So I laid in my bed, staring up at the ceiling, imagining Anna's face smiling down at me. It didn't help my mood. Imagining her and seeing her are two different things. My cell phone started to ring a second later and I answered it tiringly.

"Hello?" I asked lazily, rubbing my eyes with my free hand.

There was a heavy breath on the other line that didn't sound like any of my brothers. It didn't even sound like a guy. "Paul?" The familiar, angelic voice asked questioningly.

I snapped up in my bed, clutching the phone to my ear, trying my hardest not to crush it. "Anna?" I asked forcing the fear, elation and confusion from my voice.

AN: Review! :D


	13. Finally Goes Right

AN: Hola Readers!!! I couldn't leave you hanging too long and this isn't another cliffie, I promise. :P The next chapter might take longer for be because its an in between chapter and sort of plot-less at the moment, but I'll do my best to update everything else. I hope you all enjoy! Oh, the last chapter had over 40 reviews, thats a record for this story!!! Awesome! Love you guys!

Chapter Thirteen

Finally Goes Right

My throat was closing and my heart had stopped. All I could think of were the reasons why she might be calling. Her parents tried to kill her. She was lonely. She realized I secretly pined after her. Okay, that last one was a bit of a long shot…

"Were you sleeping?" She asked quickly.

"What? No! I was just… Is something wrong?" I rambled concerned.

"No. Well, yes, kind of." She said unsure.

I felt my entire body chill and tried not to sound angry. "What happened?" I asked quietly.

"Nothing happened, I left before anything could." She answered somberly.

I felt some of the dread leave my being, but I was still on edge. "You at the gas station?" I asked quickly.

"Yes, but you don't have-" She rushed to say.

"I'll be there in ten minutes." I told her and hung up before she could try and talk me out of it.

I strode out of my room while I pocketed my cell and walked for the front door. Mom and Kevin were still on the couch and looked at me strangely as I passed.

"Paul?" Mom asked confused.

"I'm getting Anna." I said simply and grabbed my keys from the dining room table and left. I didn't stop to ask if it was okay. I already knew.

I got in my truck and started driving. When I got down into Forks it was spitting rain and before I knew it I was at the corner gas station in half the time I told Anna it would take. She was standing near the pay phone, trying to keep some kind of cover from miserable rain with her bike and over stuffed backpack. I pulled right up to her and got out to load in her bike while she ran around to get into the cab. I didn't bother with worrying about covering the bike since it was already wet and dashed in with Anna.

When I saw her in the light from the ceiling of the truck, she was nearly blue and shivering like a petrified mouse. I felt a little calmer seeing her in my hoodie. "You look freezing." I said wrapping my arm around her shoulders and pulling her to my side where she would be warmer. And I'd feel less likely to kill.

I half expected her to try and get out of my hold but she only pulled her legs up to her chest and buried herself deeper next to me. I tried to hide my smug grin as I turned up the heat. "It started raining when I got down here." She said pathetically.

"You okay?" I asked rubbing her arm as I drove away from the gas station.

I felt her nod against my side. "Yes, I just didn't want to be pulled into another fight." She mumbled, rubbing the still healing cut on her arm. "I don't mean to be any trouble." She told me nervously.

I bit my lip to avoid blurting out the 'your-my-reason-for-living' line and just settled for holding her closer. "You're not, at all." I said honestly.

She nodded smally again, resting more comfortably against me. "Were you doing anything?" She asked curiously.

"Avoiding my mom and her boyfriend." I groaned.

Anna stiffened next to me for a moment before unclenching. "Oh, that sounds awkward." She muttered.

"It's more than awkward." I grumbled sourly.

"Will your mom mind?" She asked anxiously.

I shook my head. "No, but she might drag you into a game of Scrabble with Kevin." I said trying not to make it sound like a death sentence.

She looked up at me with confused eyes. "I've never played." She said with a frown, but a cute frown, not one that made me want to tear people's limbs off.

I smiled. "You'd be good at it." I told her surely.

She made another face and settled back under my arm, where she fit perfectly. I didn't race back home since I'd have to share her then, but I still had to do at least the speed limit so I was home in twenty minutes. I hated to let go of Anna but she was thoroughly warm now and I had to get her inside before it started to rain harder.

I rushed the bike into the garage and we walked in through there, leaving as much of our wet clothes as we could. Mom and Kevin hadn't even moved and inch from when I left them, but when they saw me back with Anna they both stood.

"Hello Anna, nice to see you again." Mom said smiling.

"I apologize if I'm intruding." Anna said quickly.

"Not at all! You're always welcome here." Mom countered with a knowing look in my direction.

Anna sighed. "Thank you," She said relieved. I took her bag from her and put it on the dining room table and pushed her into the living room.

Mom stepped closer to Kevin. "This is my boyfriend Kevin, I'm sure Paul's already told you about him." Mom said trying not to sound too scathing. It wasn't working very well. I just shrugged.

Anna gave Kevin a meek wave. "Hello," She mumbled.

"Would you like to play Scrabble?" Kevin asked politely, pointing to the board game on the coffee table.

I rolled my eyes and leaned down to Anna. "Told ya." I muttered in her ear.

She giggled a little before looking back to Kevin. "I've never played." She answered truthfully.

"Oh it's easy!" Mom cooed, rushing up to her and pulling her to a seat.

After Anna was in dry clothes she was playing Scrabble with Mom and Kevin and to no one's surprise, Anna was a quick learner and a champion at Scrabble. I let Mom and Kevin play with her while I lounged next to Anna, trying not to fall asleep while they played the most boring game in the world. I was forced to acknowledge that Kevin wasn't a total ass because he made Anna smile twice, but we'd never be friends. I can't befriend anyone who's favorite sport is Cricket.

"And you win again, are you sure you haven't played before?" Mom asked as she cleared the pieces off the board.

Anna shook her head. "I don't play games that involve more than one person." She answered quietly.

Mom looked at her sympathetically and Kevin at least had enough brains to know the truth behind Anna's vague answer. "Well, you're a natural at Scrabble." He said smiling.

Anna blushed vibrantly. "Thanks," She mumbled.

Mom smiled a little and stood. "It's late, I think we should all get to bed." She announced as she walked to the hall closet and got out the extra pillow and blanket for Anna. "For you," She said passing the bedding to Anna.

"Really, thank you." Anna said graciously.

Mom lingered for a moment and looked at her seriously. "We mean it when we say you're welcome here, I love the company." She said truthfully.

Anna's cheeks got the slightest color to them. "Goodnight," She mumbled, slightly embarrassed.

"Night," Mom said sweetly then walked with Kevin to her room.

When we were alone I ignored the fact that my mother had just slipped into her room with her boyfriend and focused on Anna. She had put the bedding down on the end of the couch and looked up at me awkwardly. "You have everything?" I asked, reaching for any kind of conversation that would allow me to stay with her longer.

She glanced over her shoulder at the pile and nodded. "Yep," She said surely.

So much for small talk… "Okay," I mumbled.

"Goodnight," She said with a tiny wave.

"Goodnight," I said downcast. She didn't waste any time and escaped the awkward moment as soon as possible by spreading out the blanket and pillow.

I went to my room begrudgingly. I knew she was okay, hell she was even comfortable with staying and sleeping on the couch but I wanted to stay with her longer. However, I also knew if I wanted to take her to school in the morning I was going to need some actual sleep so I laid down in my bed and closed my eyes, taking a deep breath of the sweet smell of paper that came from the living room.

I didn't expect to sleep as long as I did, or has hard, but I still woke up before six, which was all I wanted. I could smell a myriad of breakfast foods cooking in the kitchen, but I could hear my mother still muttering in her sleep. I put shorts and a shirt on and ventured out to the kitchen.

Of all the things I thought I would find, I wasn't expecting to see Anna washing pans while Kevin hummed and chopped up apples.

Anna turned around from the sink to grab the towel on the kitchen table and saw me. She was surprised at first then smiled. "Morning," She said in her quiet way.

"Morning," I said still thoroughly surprised.

Kevin spun from the counter next to the stove and smiled as he saw me. It creeped me out seeing him smile so big. "Ah, Paul! Breakfast?" He asked happily, pointing to all the food that had been prepared.

I slowly stepped into the kitchen, closer to Anna incase I had to run for the door with her if Kevin snapped. "Sure," I muttered.

Kevin grabbed a plate from the cabinet next to his head and filled a quarter of it with fruit then handed it to Anna who started dishing eggs and bacon. "Turns out, Anna is an early bird, much like myself, and quite the prep-cook." He said smiling at Anna.

Anna blushed a little and looked at me. "I like cleaning." She mumbled.

I wanted to ask what sane person liked cleaning but my mother stuck her head into the kitchen a second later. "Do I smell bacon?" She asked amazed.

Kevin smiled wider and walked up to her. "You do," He cooed before leaning down to kiss her. I almost threw up.

"Mom!" I yelled.

She pulled away from Kevin and looked at me. "Sorry," She said not sounding sorry at all.

I started cursing under my breath and took the plate Anna was holding for me when I saw the bandage she had on her hand was more red than white. "Your hand is bleeding." I said putting my plate on the table and taking her hand.

"Crap," She hissed.

"Come on, I'll fix it up." I said pulling her out of the kitchen.

I took her straight to the bathroom, even though we had a first aid kit in the kitchen because I wanted to get away from the teenagers that used to be my mother and her boyfriend. I shut the door behind us so I didn't have to hear anything from outside the bathroom. She was looking at me wearily, probably half expecting me to put her on the counter like I did last time, and as much as I would have liked to have her hips in my hands again, I wasn't something I felt compelled to do.

I peeled off the bandage gently and examined the cut. It didn't have the thick scab it should have had because it had been wet a few times. "You shouldn't be getting this wet." I told her as I doused cotton balls in alcohol to clean her hand.

"It's healing fine." She said knowingly.

It looked well enough, but it could still easily become infection. "Still should be kept dry." I said firmly, dabbing the cut with the cotton ball.

She almost rolled her eyes. "Yes, doctor." She said dryly.

I almost dropped the bottle of alcohol when I heard her. Was she actually joking now? "Is that sarcasm I hear?" I asked hopefully.

She giggled quietly. "A little," She answered shyly.

I couldn't help but smile down at her. She just looked unbearably cute. I continued to dab at the cut when I remembered Anna's team work with Kevin. "So, you and Kevin are getting along." I tried to say without too much irritation in my voice.

She looked up at me with knowing eyes. "He's a good guy." She said surely.

"Sure," I scoffed.

"You should give him a chance, he's just nervous around you." She pressed.

Do not cave to the imprint, stand strong! "Why?" I asked looking down at her hand because her eyes could convince me to do anything

"Well, you're the eighteen-year-old son of his girlfriend. It's kind of an odd situation." She answered chuckling a little.

"I got that part already." I said flatly while I smeared anti-bacterial ointment on the cut.

She huffed a little and shifted more toward me. "He doesn't want to be your replacement father or anything like that, he just wants to have a conversation with you without worrying about losing a body part." She explained.

"I'm not gonna kill him." I said rolling my eyes while I wrapped her hand in a bandage. That man is too dramatic. He should know my mother would never let me get away with it.

"I didn't say you would, it's just that sometimes you can be a little aggressive and it can lead people to think you might disembowel them." She continued cautiously.

I tied the bandage tightly on the top of her hand and looked at her seriously. "You don't think I'd do that to you, do you?" I asked almost desperately. If she thought I'd ever hurt her I don't know how I'd survive…

"Well, I don't think you would ever disembowel me, but other people? Maybe." She answered honestly. People usually don't say this kind of stuff to my face, unless they happen to share the whole shape-shifting thing with me.

I stared on, thinking about everything she had just told me. I could probably put a little more effort toward being nice to Kevin, but then it would be less time with her. I'm not ready to give up time with her for anyone. Maybe when she's living in a house where I don't have to worry about her safety at all times, or going to a school that won't be full of shit heads that enjoy teasing and taunting her. Then it could become a possibility that I could take some attention away from her. Probably not though.

While I was working through everything in my head Anna waited patiently. I was about to continue the conversation when she took one of my hanging hands and squeezed it as tightly as she could. "Thank you," She said quietly, smiling ever so slightly up at me.

Out of instinct I squeezed her hand back, but I had urge to kiss her. Just the way she was looking at me, how her head was titled to the side, how her lips curved and well, everything. But before I could act of my impulse, Anna dropped my hand and slipped out of the bathroom, since she was tiny enough to get passed me.

I could have pulled her back, locked the door and kissed her senseless, but I didn't. I growled under my breath and started tossing things back where they where supposed to go.

After a quick 'family' breakfast, I took off with Anna, so I didn't have to worry about my mother stealing her from me again. I got her to the high school in the average time it took and helped her lock up her bike with all the others.

"You'll be okay to get home?" I asked, trying not to sound pushy.

"Yeah, I'm sure everything has blown over by now." She answered, not sounding sure at all.

"If it hasn't, call me." I told her firmly, not wanting to argue.

She nodded smally. "Okay," She promised quietly.

I stuffed my hands in my pockets to stop from pulling her into my arms. "Stay out of trouble." I said in a pleading tone.

She bit her lip and nodded again. "I'll try." She murmured before walking off, leaving me with the bad feeling in my gut and a frown on my face.

AN: Review!


	14. Is This Normal?

AN: Hola everyone! If you keep up with any of my other stories you probably know that I've started a new updating plan and so far its working really great! A week in and I've updated all but two of my WIPs and published a new story! I'll also be posting Embry's story with his imprint Celia tonight, its called Smile For Me. So look out for that! I hope you guys enjoy! :)

Chapter Fourteen

Is This Normal?

The rest of my week was fine. I guess. I didn't see Anna again. So it defaults to sucking. Kevin had to leave on Friday, which made me happy, for a second. He managed to gain a little of my respect, after Anna instigated it, but that was the only way it was going to happen anyway. I willingly shook the hand he extended to me and even said goodbye to him without sounding relieved. I could have sworn my mom almost started crying.

I had a shit ton of patrols to pick up if I wanted to keep Sunday, Monday and Tuesday open for Anna. I had two hours of sleep between Friday night and Saturday. I was in a bad mood to say the least.

To keep me from snapping and killing people Embry and Seth took turns watching Anna's house for me while I ran the boarders. There wasn't anymore trouble with her parents, which was probably the best thing they've done for themselves since I imprinted on their daughter because with the mood I was in, I would have killed them without a moments notice.

When Sunday came around I hadn't seen Anna with my own eyes in days and let's just say I was at the corner gas-station a little early. By a little, I mean two hours. I slept as much as I could, which was probably only like three hours and that was just because I was exhausted, but I had to see her. I needed her as soon as possible and I know she has a knack for showing up early.

I sat in my truck with a few of my favorite CD's and waited as calmly as I could for her. It wasn't turning out to be very patiently because I had caught myself walking down the street twice. On the amount of sleep I was working on, I wasn't all that surprised that my basic instincts were winning the internal imprint struggle.

An hour and a half later, Anna appeared in my line of sight, shuffling down the street. My first thought was that she might be hurt and I was about to fly out of my truck when I saw her wipe her cheek and use her sleeve to wipe her nose. She was crying.

I still got out of my truck, but I waited next to it. I was feeling more awake seeing her and I had a little more control over what I was doing. A little.

When she was a few feet away, she finally looked up from the ground and at me and I wanted to hit something. Her eyes were red and puffy and it looked like she had been crying for a while. There was something in her eyes that looked like she was pleading with me. I covered the few feet between us quickly and hugged her.

It must have been what she wanted, or needed because she let herself fall into my arms and I had no issue with holding her. I rested my chin on the top of her head and felt both of our tensions disappear. I would have been in a land of bliss if the shit-head teenagers hadn't shown up and started whispering and pointing. Again. They apparently don't like their fingers attached to their hands… Before I could start removing appendages, Anna spoke.

"Can we go?" She asked with a hoarse voice, trying to hide her face from me.

"Yeah," I said, nodding.

I walked her to the truck and had her get in on my side because the gas-station was starting to fill up and the last thing I needed was a car to try and take her out. She slid over to the passenger seat and buckled up. I didn't bother with my seat belt and peeled out of my parking spot as soon as my truck was in drive. I had the strong urge to get out of Forks.

When we got to my house, which was empty, Anna left her backpack in my truck and I knew it meant she didn't want to work on school things. We went into the garage and started gathering the tools I'd need and started working on her car. Well, I worked, she watched and took notes. I don't know why she did it, but I wasn't going to stop her.

It had been a little over an hour of silently working on the car with Anna watching and writing diligently when I got stuck. Not stuck really, but there's this stupid part that requires three hands to take out and put back in. I looked over at Anna and the bandage that was on her hand. She was not going to touch any car parts until that was healed and that wouldn't be for a while. I had only one option, get outside help.

I really didn't want any of my brothers coming over yet, my mom had already forced Seth on her and that didn't go all that well. But if I wanted to keep Anna as chill as she was I was going to need hands that I didn't want injured.

I groaned and looked to my beautiful imprint. "Mind if I get one of the guys over here? I need a hand, and yours are out of commission." I asked, wiping my hands of all the grease.

She looked confused at my request but shook her head. "No, I don't mind." She said softly.

I really wanted her to say no. I nodded and went into the house, thinking about who to call. Sam would be okay, but I don't think Em would like me taking him away. She scares me sometimes. Jared and Kim were inseparable and I didn't want to expose Anna to both of them. I wasn't getting Seth over here again until she knew everything. Quil is usually on babysitting duty on the weekends. Leah isn't allowed to touch vehicles, which left Embry.

He was probably the best option anyway. He just imprinted and he knew a lot about cars. And he knew I wouldn't hesitate in putting him through a tree if he crossed me.

I called him and got his mom. I asked her to send Embry over instead of talking to him because he tended to let things slip over the phone. I hung up and went back out to the garage and found Anna examining the engine while she sat on the edge of the hood. There was something insanely adorable about the way she studied the parts of the engine. Maybe it was because she wouldn't touch anything but her hair was falling all over the engine. Or it could have been that she was still taking notes while she looked.

I chuckled to myself and walked back to her. "See something interesting?" I asked amused.

She snapped to me, her eyes wide. "Just being nosy." She answered, slipping off the hood.

I smiled down at her and saw black tips on some of her hair. "You have grease in your hair." I told her, grinning.

She looked down quickly and saw it. "Oh, fudge." She hissed, grabbing her hair.

"The dawn-dish-soap in the kitchen works best." I said nodding back to my house.

She sighed and walked past me into the house. I chuckled to myself for a minute until Embry jogged up to me from the street. He was, thankfully, wearing a shirt and even shoes. He looked a little more worried than scared.

"What's up?" He asked confused.

I lost my good humor and crossed my arms over my chest. "I need your help." I ground out begrudgingly. I really hated asking for help.

"With?" He asked suspiciously.

"The car." I said nodding to Anna's car.

Embry looked at it and almost started drooling. "I thought that was a you and Anna project?" He asked staring at the car.

"It was until she split her hand open." I growled, resisting the reflex to smack him.

He looked back at me guiltily. "Oh, right." He muttered dumbly.

"She's inside so watch what you say." I warned him, hitting him in the chest to emphasize my point.

"Alright," He said defensively, holding up his hands.

Anna came walking out of the house through the garage, dabbing the ends of her hair with a towel. "You were right, it took it all out." She told me while she shuffled through the garage, looking at her hair. When she looked up she saw Embry standing next to me, smiling like an idiot. "Oh, hello." She said smiling politely, like she always did.

"Hey, I'm Embry, you must be Anna." He said walking up to her and shaking her non-injured hand. Alright, he wasn't as stupid as I thought.

"Uh, yes." She said looking between us, confused.

"Paul talks about you a lot." He said smirking a little. I threw my elbow into his side with as much force as I could. I heard two ribs snap. "So what's the problem?" Embry asked breathlessly.

I will never admit this. To anyone. Alright, maybe Anna, but that's it. But I actually work pretty well with Embry. Sure, I work best with Sam, but he's a close second. If only he didn't talk so much. Anna got along with him nicely, to a point were I got jealous.

I know its stupid, he'd never do anything with her because he has his own imprint but I still felt it. I could feel her calmness with him, how she talked easier with him. I told myself it was because he was like a little puppy and chicks like that. I didn't do, or say, anything to Embry though because I wasn't going to take away something from Anna. Even if I didn't want her to have it…

"Where did you find this beauty, anyway?" Embry asked when we had finished switching out the part.

I saw the sadness fill Anna's eyes for a spilt second before she ducked her head. "Long story," She mumbled.

I stopped myself from decking Embry, again, by clenching my tools. "I need food." I said tersely, dropping my wrench and walking for the garage.

"Yes, food." Embry said following close behind.

"Are you sure you two aren't garbage disposals in human suits?" Anna asked following us.

"Of course not, we don't eat garbage." Embry said with a scoff.

Anna laughed at him, making my little green monster flair up again, but when she walked in line with be back into the house, I felt less jealous.

I started making sandwiches, ten ham and chesses' for me, ten turkey and mayo's for Embry and one peanut butter and jelly for Anna, leaving Embry and Anna at the dining room table. I had the sneaking suspicion I should have pulled Embry with me, but I didn't. I'm stupid. The boy proved how stupid I was within a minute.

"Do you know a freshman named Celia Stefano?" He asked cautiously.

I turned and looked at him from the kitchen, glaring daggers at him. He should know better! Anna doesn't have any friends at school?! Did that moron hit his head again? He looked slightly ashamed but only shrugged with a look. I knew what he meant. He just wanted to know about his imprint.

"I do," She answered simply with a nod.

"Really?" I asked baffled.

She looked over her shoulder at me and nodded. "Yeah, she's in my AP English class. She's really smart for her age." She told the both of us then looked to Embry. "Why do you ask?" She asked curiously.

"I just see her at the library, alone, all the time, I was curious." Embry said fumblingly.

"Yeah, everyone avoids her." She said painfully.

"Why?" He asked fearfully.

"She broke another freshman's nose with her skateboard for teasing her about picking up her baby sister from daycare." She said biting her lip.

"Oh," He muttered, wide eyed.

"Yeah, it wasn't on school grounds. That's the only reason she wasn't suspended." She added.

"I like her already." I said grinning.

Embry rolled his eyes. I suppressed the sickening, but scarily true, thought that we had just imprinted on each other. His imprint was vicious and mine was kind and sweet. This just got a little bit more awkward…

After lunch we went back to working on the car and I realized we were almost halfway done rebuilding the engine. I could easily finish this within two weeks if I pushed myself, but I doubt I could drag it out for more than three months. Dammit, this was supposed to give me enough time to ease Anna into my world!

Of course, this means I'm going to have to start planning how I'm going to do 'let the wolf out of the bag' as Embry would say.

There were so many scenarios going through my head as I thought about how to tell Anna everything and they all were bloody. And it wasn't my blood.

Just seeing Anna's imaginary blood made my stomach heave. I know what Sam has to go through on a daily basis because of what happened to Emily but even that wouldn't help me if I did that to Anna. She's just so small. I don't even think she'd survive something like that.

I knew I'd have to do it with plenty of back up. Even though I wanted to be able to do it alone, I couldn't trust myself. I'd need at least Sam and probably Jake. Two Alpha's should be able to keep Anna safe if things go bad. If my luck has anything to do with it, it will probably be bad.

I forced myself to stop thinking about all of the horrible doom possibilities that could come from letting Anna know the truth about everything and focus on the task in front of me. The Challenger before me needed to be fixed for my imprint. Maybe if I get this up and running for her she'll go easy on me and won't completely freak out when she finds out I can shape-shift into a giant wolf. Probably not…

It started to spit rain just as we tried to start on another difficult part, so Anna grabbed her backpack from my truck and we retreated to the house. Embry helped me clean up so Anna didn't have to get wet and I let him join us. I didn't want to share her, but if she was getting along with another member of the pack, I wasn't going to stop any progress with her.

Embry watched TV in the living room while Anna and me worked in the dining room. The mindless movie Embry was watching didn't distract me in the least. Anna held my attention better than any movie star could ever hope to.

"I don't want to sound ungrateful or anything, but do you know when my car will be finished?" She asked when we were moving from algebra to history.

Dammit, is she a mind reader or something?! "Why?" I tried to ask calmly.

"It would be nice to drive instead of riding my bike." She said simply with a shrug.

Great, now I feel guilty. "I can have it done by the end of the month." I mumbled, hiding as much sadness as I could.

"Its no rush or anything, I was just curious." She said quickly. She bit her lip and looked at me carefully. "I was thinking about buying another car." She said cautiously.

"Really?" I asked hopefully.

She nodded. "I saw one down at the junkyard, it seems like the body is in good condition but everything else needs a lot of work." She said, still biting her lip a little. "If you want to start another project, that is." She continued, looking at me hopefully.

Don't start jumping up and down Paul. Be cool. "I – uh, no, that would be fun." I stammered. So much for cool…

"You don't mind?" She asked happily.

"Nah, I like working with you." I told her, smiling.

"You're not too bad either." She said blushing.

To stop myself from squealing like a girl I asked the first question that came to my mind. "Why do you want another car anyway?" I asked confused. I wasn't ungrateful that I would be getting more time with Anna, but I was still confused, she would have a working car in a few weeks.

"I dunno, they're selling it cheap and I'm really enjoying doing this with you." She said shrugging.

"So, what kind of a car is it?" I asked getting down to business.

"A sixty-seven Camaro." She answered, like it was nothing.

I think I fell in love with her at that moment. Is there really anything else that tops this?

"Tell me you're not selling it." I asked pleadingly.

She giggled a little. "I dunno, are you saying you might be interested?" She asked teasingly.

"Might?" I asked gaping. "I'd give my left arm for that car!" I yelled, putting my left arm in front of her.

She started laughing, really laughing. There wasn't anything that had made her laugh like this before. Not Embry or Kevin. This laugh was total happiness. It was almost like she completely forgot everything that was bad in her life. At that moment, my left arm didn't belong the Camaro, because I would have given it to make this moment last forever. Just so she didn't have to go back to feeling anything less than what she did at that moment.

AN: Review!


	15. Something Suspicious

AN: This doesn't follow my plan, but I needed to get this out, once you read it all, you'll know why! Next week there will me a new chapter, promise! I won't leave you hanging! I also want to get Smile For Me out, though its the wrong day. Its just frustrating me. Thank you all for the reviews! Over 300! I really hope you all enjoy the new chapter!

Chapter Fifteen

Something Suspicious

Nothing much changed through the week. I didn't see Anna other than the times I stalked her, as usual. She didn't have anytime around her parents so I didn't have to worry about her getting hurt by them. I also had more than a few patrols to cover from the whole Kevin thing. Seth promised to watch Anna when I couldn't so I didn't freak out so much.

The rest of the pack started giving me their patrols to, and the only person I was ever phased with was Seth. Normally, me and Sam had a few patrols together during the week because he knew I worked better with him and he wanted to make sure I wasn't planning anything stupid.

Even stranger than usual, was that Seth and Leah were hanging around more than usual. Seth I wasn't too concerned about. He likes to hang around everyone else's house. But Leah doesn't like to be around anyone except her mother, so when she started following Seth to my house it was scary to say the least.

Come Saturday morning I wasn't even surprised when I woke up to find Seth on my couch and Leah at the dining room table with breakfast. But it didn't comfort me. At all.

"Why don't you have any good horror movies?" Seth whined as I walked passed him.

"My mom doesn't like them." I yawned, flopping onto the empty couch.

"You have every war movie ever made in this country but she doesn't like horror movies?" He asked confused.

"Don't ask, I didn't pick her." I grumbled from the couch. "Why are you two even here?" I asked tiringly. The night before I had been staking out Anna's house myself because I didn't have a patrol and I got next to no sleep.

"Mom is fixing up the house with Charlie, she kicked us out." Seth answered shrugging.

"That doesn't make sense." I said suspiciously.

"She likes doing stuff with Charlie when were not there." Seth elaborated, clueless.

"That's disgusting." I gagged.

"Not that!" Seth yelled, throwing his shoe at my head.

"That's what they want you to think." I mumbled under my breath.

Seth covered his ears and dropped his head to the floor. "I need mind bleach!" He yelled as he hit his head on the ground repeatedly.

"Tequila and apple juice." Leah said knowingly from the table. We both stopped what we were doing and looked up at Leah. "What?" She hissed.

"How do you even know that?" Seth asked confused.

"I did my fare share of experimenting." Leah answered with her troubling grin.

"I'm gonna go work on Anna's car." I muttered, pushing myself off the couch and shuffling to the garage.

"Whatever." Seth said as he went back to looking through the movies.

I usually spent any free time I had on her car. I wanted her to have the car as soon as possible, so she wouldn't have to ride her bike in the rainiest city of the US everywhere. It wouldn't take much for her to catch pneumonia and I really don't want to start stalking the hospital. It's the worst smelling place in the world.

Half way through reconnecting most of the ports to the engine Seth came out of the house, looking way too happy.

"Leah said we should go out for dinner." He said trying to lean against Anna's car.

I hit him hard with the heavy ratchet I had, making him jump away. "We?" I snarled.

"Yeah, I said the diner down in Forks." He said still grinning. And that's why that little shit looks so smug. "You can see Anna." He pointed out, almost singing.

"Fine, let me finish and we'll go." I snapped, going back under the hood and Seth skipped of like a little girl who just got the Barbie Dream House she always wanted.

When I was done we all crammed in my pick up truck and I drove down to Forks. It was just after seven when we got there and hardly anyone was left in the diner. Inside we had free reign of the place Leah took a booth up front and Seth followed her. They looked like the strangest pair of Amazonians you've ever seen. I sat on the other side and stared at the kitchen door, waiting for Anna to come out.

The perky waitress that always tried to hit on me can up to the table and Leah was already rolling her eyes when Seth turned his full attention to her. Luckily the waitress knew who she had the best chances with and fell all over Seth after she took our order and disappeared into the kitchen.

Anna came out a moment later, with her empty bin on her hip and saw me quickly. I smiled at instantly and she had her own shy smile. She walked up to us and smiled at Leah and Seth.

"Hi," She said to me, looking happily surprised.

"Hey," I said back, smiling more than I normally did when she wasn't around. She looked at Leah and Seth shyly. "This is Leah and I'm sure you remember her brother Seth." I said with narrowed eyes at him.

"I remember." She said smiling. "It's nice to see you again." She told him awkwardly. I could tell she didn't know exactly what to say.

"You don't have to be nice to him, he's like a puppy that chases you around no matter what you do to it." I told her while grinning at Seth.

"It's true." Leah added as she rearranged the sugar packets.

"Hey!" Seth yelled indignantly.

The manager poked his head out of the kitchen and snapped his fingers at Anna. "Sorry, I have to get back to work." She said apologetically. I nodded, trying not to look too sad and she walked away.

"I like you more when she's around." Leah said as Anna walked away.

"Barely," Seth mumbled angrily.

"I think I might like her, she's the only normal one." Leah commented.

Thinking about it, Leah was actually right. "The truth of that statement is fucking depressing." I grumbled to myself.

"Emily is normal!" Seth yelled aghast.

"She used to be, how normal can you be with a freaking shape-shifting husband?" Leah asked, smacking Seth upside the head.

"What about Kim?" Seth asked as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Other than the fact that she's Jared's shadow to an almost creepy point?" Leah asked dryly.

"Yeah, other than that." Seth muttered.

We both stared at him blankly.

"Fine, what about Nessie?" He asked in a huff.

"Did you hear what you just said? You want to know what's not normal about that mutant?" Leah asked with a raised brow.

"I'm with Leah. She is weird." I agreed, not even caring that I did actually just agree with Leah.

"She's like two years old!" Seth yelled defensively. Leah and I looked at him knowingly. "Kind of." He muttered. We didn't stop staring at him. "Fine Claire?" He asked.

"Come on, she isn't even in school yet! This is about people who don't have adorable speech impediments." Leah said, smacking him again. Seth frowned and thought for a moment then tried to open his mouth when Leah stopped him. "Or people we don't even know anything about yet." She said, probably referring to Embry's imprint.

"I still say you're wrong." Seth mumbled, sulking like a little kid.

"I'm trying to find a logical reason not to take your head off." Leah said lowly.

"There isn't one." I grumbled.

"Here are your orders!" The waitress said with a face splitting grin for Seth.

After we ate, which didn't take all that long, we talked a little with Anna while Leah went to the ladies room. She came back holding her cell phone and looking grim.

"I just got a call from Sam, we need to go." She said seriously.

"What is it?" I asked looking at my own phone. Why didn't he call me? He tries to avoid dealing with Leah.

"Nothing bad, he just wants a pow-wow with everyone." Leah answered rolling her eyes. That I could see.

"Fine," I muttered, looking down at Anna while she cleaned one of the booths in the back. I waved at her and she did the same.

I pulled my keys from my pocket and Leah snatched them from me. "I'm driving." She said firmly.

"We're dead." Seth muttered fearfully.

I begrudgingly let Leah drive, but made Seth sit in the middle again. There was no way I was gonna be crammed next to Leah to where ever she was going to take us. We got back to La Push in fifteen minutes and I thought we were driving toward the cliffs, then she started taking some of the weird back roads and I got lost.

"Where the hell are we?" I asked impatiently.

"Just shut up and wait." Leah snapped.

"We just drove in two circles!" I yelled pointing to the same fallen tree we had passed two other times.

"I said shut up!" She yelled.

I tried to reach over to hit Leah and she tried to do the same but Seth grabbed both of our hands. "No fighting in a cramped truck!" He yelled pushing our hands into our chests.

"She's literally driving me insane!" I yelled at her over Seth.

She looked at me flatly. "Gag him." She told Seth.

"I'll put you both through the windshield first." I said threateningly.

Seth looked worried and slunk closer to his sister and away from me. Leah took a few sharp turns the stopped abruptly.

"Chill the hell out, we're here." She said rolling her eyes as she threw the keys at me and left the truck.

Seth got out on her side and I used the passenger door. Looking around we were in the middle of the woods, but a little bit ahead there were a few more cars parked and ahead of that there was a orange glow. "What is this?" I asked myself as I followed Leah and Seth's trail.

The trees got thick for a second but when I broke through I was met with almost all of the pack, a few of the younger guys were missing, my mom, some of the elders of the pack and Anna all smiling at me, gathered around a huge bonfire.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" They yelled happily.

"Oh you fuck heads." I hissed under my breath. It all made sense then. Why Leah and Seth hung around all the time, why I was taking so many shifts but no one else was phased with me. Those sneaky bastards…

Emily ran up to me first and hugged me. "You're just upset we actually pulled off a surprise party." She said triumphantly.

When Emily let go I couldn't hold back the smile. "Next time, don't use those two to distract me, they almost died." I said pointing to Seth and Leah.

"I doubt we'd need them next time." Sam said grinning as he pulled Emily away, looking over his shoulder at my mom and Anna.

I went through and smacked everyone I could for surprising me. They'd never try this without Anna because they all know I hate surprises. Half of the cake was gone within ten minutes, so I took a piece to Anna before it was completely gone.

"Sorry, I didn't say anything, they were really adamant on a surprise party." She said apologetically, taking the cake I handed to her.

I shook my head. "I know how they get." I said with a wink. She giggled and picked at the cake. "Thanks for coming." I told her honestly.

She smiled widely at me. "No problem." She murmured.

"Alright! You have presents." Mom said grabbing my arm and pulling me toward the fire.

"If they are socks, you are all going down." I said seriously.

So I didn't get socks. I actually got some pretty cool stuff. I knew it was probably just because it was my 18th birthday and it's supposed to be special, or something, but it was still cool. Everyone calmed down from there and started talking amongst themselves. I watched Anna walk a little was off from the group and followed her.

She stopped at the edge of the cliffs, out of the light of the fire. I walked up behind her, making as much noise as possible and stopped just behind her. "Did you have fun?" I asked hopefully.

She turned from the ocean and looked up at me. "Yeah, I've never actually been to a party, but I think it was great." She said smiling.

"So, you'd be up to coming to more of our Rez parties?" I asked grinning.

"If you want to invite me." She said shyly.

Maybe it was the way the fire caught her eyes, or the color her cheeks had turned at that moment, but something told me to kiss her and I couldn't find a reason to stop myself. I wrapped my arm around her back and pressed my lips to hers.

A squeak came from her lips but quickly changed into a sigh as she grabbed my arms and used them as leverage to try and raise herself. I buried my other hand into her hair and kissed her with more fervor. A part of me thought she would back down with my aggression, but she matched it. She clawed at my skin and kissed me with everything I kissed her with.

I was in heaven on earth, for a minute…

"Paul!" Collin yelled, making Anna jump a foot away from me.

I started growling lowly. "Collin, you're going to lose your-" I was about to threatening his family jewel's when the thick smell of bloodsucker filled my nose. I looked more carefully at Collin. He had already been in a fight with it, if his gnarled arm was any sign.

There was a vampire near by and it sure as shit wasn't friendly.

"Go back to Sam!" I ordered pointing toward the bonfire.

"What's going on?" Anna asked dazed.

I started rushing her back toward the party. "I need you to go with my mom." I said seriously.

"Why?" She asked frantically. I almost picked her up to get her to my mom faster.

At the cliff I saw Sam give Collin an order then he ran back into the woods. Emily was rounding up all the other imprints to put out the fire while Jared, Embry and Quil darted into the woods after Collin. I spun her to face me and looked down at her seriously. "I'll explain it later, but please, stay with her." I pled.

She swallowed hard and nodded. "O-okay," She stammered. She was entirely clueless, but she was still scared.

"Paul!" Sam yelled from behind me.

I couldn't stop myself. I dropped my head down to her lips and kissed her. I poured everything I could into that kiss because I didn't know if I'd be coming back for another one. I'd die before a leech got a hold of her.

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	16. The Fight For Everything

AN: UGH! I seriously hated this week. Its not spring break for me when I'm taking care of EVERYTHING. BUT I finally managed to sit down and get this all out, so enjoy. I should be updating next week on time, since it will be back to normal. The next chapter will have a hint of the Cullen's in it, but thats it. Enjoy!

Chapter Sixteen

The Fight For Everything

I hated letting go of Anna but when I saw Sam run into the woods, I knew I had to. Leah and my mom had taken Anna and crammed her in the car with the other imprints and they drove off. I ran after Sam and didn't even bother taking my clothes off. It didn't matter, I had to get to the vamp and get it away from La Push and Anna.

_Where is it?! _I snarled to Collin. We were all running with a mile between us to make a net to catch the bloodsucker.

_I dunno, she ran off after I tried to fight her._ Collin answered lamely.

_What?_ Sam asked confused.

_I don't get it either._ Collin muttered. We were all ten times more worried now.

_We'll split in half, no one try to fight it alone._ Sam ordered in his Alpha voice. Embry, Quil and Seth didn't have to listen, but they weren't going to challenge him.

We were pounding ground, trying to pick up the vampire's scent when we sensed Leah phase with us. She was leaving her house, but it was only to throw the vampire off so it couldn't smell where she had been.

_They're all at your mom's house. I put them in the basement. I doubt any bloodsucker could smell them over the leaking pipes._ She told as she started running with all her speed. She'd be with us in less than a minute. I could sense Quil worrying about Claire, but she was visiting the Makah Rez again and we would stop it before it left our land.

_That would be thoroughly disgusting if it wasn't protecting them right now._ Jared muttered.

_Embry, take Collin and Jeremy to watch Celia's place. _Sam ordered.

_No,_ Embry said firmly.

We all almost stopped at what he had just said. _What?_ Leah managed to say before the rest of us.

_My smell isn't very strong near her apartment, no more than the rest of you, they won't think anything of it. She'll be safer that way. _Embry answered surely.

I had to give it to him, he had a point. _Are you sure?_ Sam asked carefully.

We could all feel the decision tearing Embry to shreds. He was about to leave his imprint completely unprotected, because even two ex-Marines couldn't take on a vampire._ Yes,_ he answered, shaking like a leaf.

_Okay, I told Emily to call Jake as soon as she was safe._ Sam told all of us.

_We don't need the Cullen's, we can finish this ourselves. _I growled.

_I want the Cullen's on standby just in case this turns ugly. Unless you want your mom and Anna to fend for themselves. _Sam snapped.

I growled lowly.

_That's what I thought._ Sam hissed. I seriously hate when he is right. It doesn't matter how many times he's right, I still hate it.

We were all still grumbling about leaving our imprints when Seth, who was two miles from me, far to close to our homes screamed in all of our heads, _I got her scent!_

_Paul, Quil, Embry, Jared follow Seth with me, the rest of you protect La Push!_ Sam yelled, just as we started running toward Seth anyway.

_What?!_ Leah shrieked. She wanted to take down the leech as much we did, but someone had to look out for our land.

_Don't argue Leah!_ Sam snapped. She growled to herself but ran off with the younger members of the pack who were grumbling with her.

We caught up to Seth faster than we normally did. It wasn't a game today, it was life and death today.

The damn vampire had us running everywhere for over an hour. We couldn't catch up to her because somehow, she had rigged everything to make sure she was three steps ahead. We never had our eyes on her for more than a few seconds before she was hurling trees at us. Since Sam didn't want us separated, we would have to stop and dig out whoever was hit.

The time it took to catch this damn blood-sucker was killing us. Leah and the other guys were stretched pretty thin trying to protect all of the Quileute land, and still not flat out let her know where the house was that held the most important people of our lives. I suppose that's how she got through…

It happened in a split second. We were all running away from La Push because we caught her scent moving away, again, and I could feel something was wrong. There was a part of me that needed to see Anna because I felt a cold grip suddenly clench my lungs.

Collin was screaming at us, because he could smell the fucking vamp running between him and Leah. She had a straight shot at my house.

My ears were ringing and I started to shake. I bolted. Screw Sam's orders, I needed to make sure my mother and Anna were okay. We were a few miles out, but I covered the ground faster than I ever had in all my time as a shape-shifter. The house didn't even have to be in my sight when I heard my mother screaming.

"ANNA!" There was a fear in my mother's voice that made everything a million times worse.

_She's at the cliffs!_ Quil screamed at us. He could smell Anna with the leech and I snapped.

_Paul, we do this together!_ Sam tried to order me.

I wasn't listening, it didn't matter what voice he used now because Anna was apart of this and she beat any of his orders.

He ordered Leah and the younger ones to stay, and Embry to do the same, focusing on protecting the people of La Push and Forks. But I didn't have it in me to care about anyone else. My life was in the hands of stinking-sparkling-vampire.

Skidding to a halt we all saw Anna, tiny and delicate Anna, being held by her throat by a pale-faced leech. The five of us closed around her and I watched as Anna's eyes got bigger. She stared at us in shock but stayed completely still in the bloodsuckers grasp. I could tell that she already knew she was being held hostage by something that wasn't human and that could kill her in a fraction of a second. She was trying her hardest to survive and I was going to get her out of this. Because I'll die without her…

"Finally," the blonde vampire sighed, rolling her eyes. She looked like a deadly version of a spoiled white-girl from suburbia, a few inches taller than Anna and with deep red eyes. It didn't matter though, because I was taking her jaw off as soon as I could. "Everyone said you would kill me in an hour. I've been here for three and yet I'm still here," she said proudly.

This was all a big fucking game to her.

I snarled and tensed my whole body, preparing to take that bitch down. "Watch it, your little girlfriend's neck could snap at any minute," she said, tightening her hold on Anna's neck and lifting her off the ground.

I froze and so did the others. We didn't even breathe.

That bitch smirked. "That's what I thought," she said knowingly.

Anna locked her eyes with mine and instead of paralyzing fear filling her eyes, it was determination. She glanced at the vamps shoulder, which was missing a chunk thanks to Collin, and then to a tree two feet away.

She wanted us to distract the vamp so she could run for cover.

God, she's even brilliant in life or death situations.

_You two take her bad side._ Sam ordered me and Quil.

"You are no fun," she said rolling her eyes and it gave us the split second to attack.

I lunged at her, sinking my teeth into her shoulder and yanking her to the ground. Quil attacked her side, tearing into her while Seth ran up and got the leg that threatened to kick Quil away. Anna was still being held by her throat, but I couldn't let go of the leech to help her because if I released my hold she'd just run off with Anna again. Sam attacked her other shoulder from behind to get Anna away from her while Jared, with all care, pulled Anna away by her leg.

The little bitch was screaming like a two-year-old and tried to get out from under us. I yanked off her arm, but she didn't even flinch, she was only whining because we were winning and she didn't like that.

Anna let Jared pull her away and as soon as he dropped her foot from his mouth she scampered behind the nearest tree. She watched us wrestling with the vampire with wide eyes, holding her bruised throat with both hands.

_Watch her!_ I yelled to Jared when he tried to join us. The four of us could handle the whining bitch. Jared begrudgingly moved back so he was directly between Anna and the fight.

Sam tried to get her leg off, but she spun under us, the slippery leech and threw her elbows back but I was the only one that got hit.

Her marble elbow connected with my shoulder and sent me flying back a couple of yards. We all felt my shoulder pop out of place with the sickening crack that radiated down and I'm damn sure bruised a few of my ribs. I hit the ground and pain radiated through my body. It hurt. A lot. But I had to move, I had to get up. I needed to finish that bitch, to make sure nothing would happen to Anna.

I tried to roll onto my feet, ignoring all the pain that screamed at me, but I was stopped. I forced my eyes to focus on what was blocking me and I was nose to nose with my imprint.

"Don't move, you'll only hurt yourself more," she whispered hoarsely, trying to roll me onto my non-injured side.

Sam was panicking, I could hear it and feel it but it had nothing to do with the vamp. Jared had taken my place and they were half-way done ripping her into pieces that would never be put together again. She had stopped screaming because Seth took her jaw off and they were just putting the icing on the cake now.

_Get away from her Paul._ Sam tried to order while ripping up the biggest chunk of her that was left.

That wasn't an order I would be forced to follow, but I knew I had to do it. It was too dangerous to be around Anna as a wolf. I tried to get on my feet but Anna only pushed me back down. "Stop moving," she ordered, sounding stronger than I had ever heard her. It didn't matter. I still had to get away from her but when I moved again she grabbed my muzzle and looked directly into my eyes. "I know you understand me," she said slowly. I would have started stammering if I could.

Sam ordered Quil to start separating the pieces of the vamp and bury them as deep as he could when all of the chunks stopped twitching and they all, slowly, walked over to where I was laying, with my little imprint forcing me into the ground.

_Looks like all that speech planning was for nothing._ Seth cracked, laughing like a hyena.

_Dude, she is too smart for you._ Jared added.

Sam didn't think it was funny, at all. He was continually reliving what happened to Emily.

She continued to feel my wounded side and through my fur she found my dislocated shoulder. It took all my strength not to lash out at her from the pain. "Your shoulder is out of place, but I can fix it," she said surely.

_Nice, you imprinted on a wanna-be veterinarian._ Seth snickered. I wanted to hit him so bad, but Anna was too close. He'd pay for it later, when I wasn't in life-ending pain.

Sam, who was standing farthest away, sighed and inched his way closer. _Jared and Quil, hold Paul secure, Seth, you're going to help her, she can't do this on her own._ He said, defeated.

The three of them started pinning me down, carefully. They knew how much pain I was in and they didn't want me to kill them when I was healed from all this. Seth walked up next to Anna and plopped down, giving her his best puppy eyes. I wanted smacked him.

With both her hands she lifted up my limp arm. I hissed through my teeth. "Steady him, there," she said nodding toward my bruised ribs.

_Just remember, Anna told me to do this._ Seth said fearfully, very slowly raising his paws to put on my injured side.

_Just do it!_ I snapped. The sooner this was over, the sooner I could get Anna back to my house.

Seth pushed his paws into my side, damn near making me scream.

As soon as Seth had all of his weight on me, Anna used all of her weight to throw my shoulder back into place with a deafening pop.

I was blinded with pain and my instincts took over, making my body hurl away and my limbs flail.

After that second of sheer pain passed I was on my other side and Anna was no where in sight. I was on my feet panicking the next second but when I turned and looked Anna was under Sam, who had the back of her shirt in his mouth.

She looked a little frazzled and was looking up at Sam, pushing her hair out of her face. Seeing her alive and unharmed I collapsed back down. My shoulder was where it belonged but it still hurt and my ribs were still screaming at me.

_That could have been very bad._ Sam said lowly, letting go of Anna's shirt. She tried to crawl back to me, but Sam put his paw down in front of her and she got the message. She sat on the ground and looked at me worryingly.

_Thanks, _I mumbled to him.

_Carry him back to his place._ Sam ordered Jared.

Jared wriggled me onto his back, so my head was resting on his shoulder, and started slowly carrying me the mile and a half back to my house. Normally my pride wouldn't let anyone carry me, but pride doesn't have a louder voice than a torso full of pain.

Anna watched the both of us in confusion and tried to follow but Sam stopped her again and turned his head to Seth.

_Go run ahead of us and get everything ready for him._ He ordered then used his muzzle and flipped her onto his back.

Her eyes were almost as big as they were when she was being held by the vampire. She didn't know what to do with her hands and was scared half to death. She can play vet with a wolf three times her size, but she can't ride one.

I'll admit, I was jealous to see her riding Sam, but after everything that had just gone down, I could just as easily be carrying her dead body out of this forest, so I wasn't going to be picky for the moment.

Sam stayed in line with Jared to make sure I didn't fall off. Or jump. He knew how stubborn I was at times. Anna would alternate between watching the path Sam took and me. She almost slipped off a few a times because she wouldn't hold onto his fur. It made me chuckle, which irritated my ribs and made me snarl in pain.

Half an hour later when we got to my backyard, my mom, Emily and a clothed, jittery Embry and Seth, where waiting for me.

"What happened?!" Mom shrieked at me.

"I really don't know," Anna answered shyly, stumbling off of Sam.

Mom instantly looked ashamed and rushed to her. "Oh, sweetie, are you okay?" she asked brushing Anna's hair, looking at the bruising on her neck.

"Its just sore," Anna said, touching the skin gingerly. I felt anger toss my stomach at the sight of it.

Seth started walking into the woods with an armful of shorts for all of us and I was carried back into the trees. We all phased and I managed to get my own shorts on with one hand. It hurt, but I did it. Sam and Jared helped me back to my backyard and my mom met us and started fussing instantly.

"Take him to his room, Dr. Cullen should be here soon. He met up with Quil to help dispense of the… thing," Mom said awkwardly, opening the back door. Anna didn't follow, Emily had her arm around her shoulders and was comforting her while I was carried away.

In my room, I was dropped on my bed and the last thing I heard was Kim yelling at Jared. Better than my mother…

AN: Review!


	17. Taken Care Of

AN: GAH! I'm so sorry this took two weeks! I hate being so busy sometimes! I'm working on the next chapter now, its a little fuzzy in my head right now so I can't promise an update for next week either. And yes, I'm still working on poor Embry's story as well, but the first chapters are proving rather difficult. Thank you all for the amazing reviews and a special thank you to itslikenature for calming me down and helping me focus! :) Enjoy!

Chapter Seventeen

Taken Care Of

Everything turned into a blur for a long time from then. The only thing that kept me calm was whenever I gained some semblance of consciousness, Anna's scent surrounded me and sometimes she was physically there with me. For that time all I could register was Anna and the calling to succumb to the dark tunnel. I'll admit, it was kind of nice, not having to deal with all the crap and still feeling Anna around, but all things must end.

I could smell the morning air meet me along with the sun that made the tunnel disappear. I wanted to crawl back under the covers but I could smell bacon coming from the kitchen and my stomach had a stronger need for food than my laziness.

I tried to roll out of bed, like I normally did, but I was met with brain-splitting pain. My whole right side was consumed in pain. Staying in bed was starting to feel like a better option. Out of stubbornness I continued to try and get out of bed.

"You shouldn't move so much." The familiar, and unwanted voice, of Carlisle Cullen told me from my door way.

I growled and looked up at him. He walked right into my room with his stupid doctor bag. "What are you doing here?" I snapped.

"Checking to see how you're healing." He answered coolly, examining my injured side.

He started prodding me and my ribs and I had to resist throwing him through a wall. "How long have I been out?" I asked through clenched teeth.

"Three days. Long enough for the fractures in your ribs to heal, as well as your shoulder," he told me as he started to grope my shoulder.

"Doesn't feel like it." I hissed.

"The bruising should dissipate soon." He said confidently. I was apt to believe him for the moment because he actually was a doctor. Even if he was a vampire.

He took a small step away from my bed and looked down at me. "Can you rotate your arm for me?" He asked.

I looked at him like he was a Martian crack-whore.

"I need to check your mobility." He said nodding at my shoulder.

I snarled and slowly raised my arm, ignoring all the searing pain and swung it back before letting it fall.

"Excellent." He smiled, like a normal doctor would. "I believe my work is done here." He said proudly.

"Where's Anna?" I asked shortly. Some of her scent was on him, not enough for me to think she was dead, but enough to be jealous.

"At school, I would believe." He answered.

Oh right, its Tuesday. "Thanks Doc," I muttered so low, I almost didn't hear it.

Carlisle smiled and nodded. "My pleasure," he said before leaving.

My mother passed him in the hallway with a tray in her hands and stopped in my doorway to watch him leave. "I like him," she sighed.

"Stop staring at his ass Mom." I growled, sinking back into my bed.

"Here, eat, maybe you won't be so cranky then." She said dropping the tray of nothing but food on my bed.

Half the full pound of bacon that was on the tray was gone in a few seconds. "Is Anna okay?" I asked while chewing.

Mom sat on the edge of my bed and nodded. "I think so." She answered, not too sure.

"You think so?" I demanded.

She rolled her eyes at me. "She hasn't said much." She clarified. That didn't make me feel better at all. "She spent all of Sunday holed up in your room with Dr. Cullen. Then yesterday she went to school and work, came back here and went back your room to watch over you." She explained. I almost ground me teeth into my jaw hearing she had spent an entire day alone in the room with a vampire while I was unconscious.

"She's been _here_ this whole time?" I asked, sitting up fully.

"She has." She confirmed with a nod.

I felt like I had just missed out on something I'd never get a chance to do again. She had willingly stayed by my side with the leech doctor and I was out on pain killers the whole time.

Mom patted my knee. "Eat," She told me before she left.

I begrudgingly sat in my bed and ate all the food I was given. Eating it all wasn't the hard part. It was sitting and doing nothing. I lasted twenty minutes after all my food was gone, I couldn't take it after that, I needed to leave my room. Getting up hurt, but I pushed through it and shuffled through the house to the garage.

"Where do you think your going?" Mom demanded as I passed the kitchen.

"The garage," I answered without stopping.

She rushed out and stepped between me and the door. "Paul, you need to be resting." She ordered.

"I was completely unconscious for three days." I said blankly.

"Yes, and if you were human you would probably be dead." She pointed out.

"But I'm not." I countered. She glared at me. "Doc said everything is healed, its just bruises left. I'm just going to work in the garage. I promise I won't leave." I promised.

She huffed. "Fine." She said hotly and stepped out of my way.

I went into the garage without looking at her and almost slammed the door behind me. I opened the garage and saw it was complete misery outside. Rain spitted down through the sickly gray sky and it fit my mood perfectly. I went to Anna's Challenger and popped the hood and got to work. I only vaguely noticed my truck was missing.

I was probably only alone for half an hour when Sam appeared at the end of my driveway, shirtless and shoeless.

"She called you?" I asked irritated.

"Yep," He answered lamely.

I almost threw the wrench I had through the goddamn wall.

"Feeling okay?" He asked moving closer to the car.

"I've felt better." I grumbled, leaning back under the hood. Sam didn't say anything and I was grateful for it because I had questions of my own. "What's been going on with Anna?" I asked, still not looking at him.

He turned himself to lean against the side of the car and looked away from me. "I can't say for sure, but I think she just doesn't know what to do. She reminds me a lot of Emily when she's lost. She just keeps doing things to keep her busy." He answered in his irritatingly wise way.

I stopped what I was doing and moved away from the car to look at Sam. "Has she asked any questions about… anything?" I asked desperately.

"No, she hasn't said much." He answered with a shrug. So my mother was right.

I couldn't figure out if this was bad news or good.

"She'll be back from school in a few hours, think about what you want to tell her." He offered, patting the shoulder that didn't get dislocated.

I just nodded silently. There wasn't much anyone could say that would make me feel better at the moment. Sam left me after that, he knew he had done all he could.

I kept working alone in the garage, I don't know for how long but it had gotten dark enough outside that I needed to get out the spot lights to see what I was doing. I wasn't working as fast I could, since my side and shoulder were still killing me but I needed something to get my mind away from Anna until I saw her again. Not that it helped much anyway…

The rain went from the depressing drizzle, to a steady stream of cold, pounding rain just as my truck pulled into the driveway. I didn't need any of my wolf senses to know who was driving it. No one else would have been allowed to drive it without my permission. Anna stepped out of my truck, with her backpack slung on her shoulder and stared at me through the rain. I felt a huge case of nerves settle on me.

She walked up to me cautiously from my truck and stood under the cover of the garage with me. "Hey," I said awkwardly.

"Should you be out of bed?" She asked confused.

"I needed to, I was going crazy." I answered, scratching the back of my head.

"Oh," She murmured, looking down at her feet.

"You okay?" I asked looking down at her, trying to find any sign that she was hurt.

She looked up at me. "Yeah, nothing that won't heal." She said, touching the scarf at her neck.

"I wasn't just talking about the bruises." I said stepping closer to her.

Her eyes were full of confusion. That kind of confusion that made my heart fall to my toes and curl up and die.

"I'll tell you whatever you want to know." I promised.

She was quiet for a long time, shuffling her feet and wringing her hands before she finally held eye contact for more than a few seconds. "Everyone keeps saying she was a 'vampire', is that true?" She asked quietly.

I'll admit, it hurt that her first question was about the damn leech. "Yes," I answered.

"So, I guess my understanding of vampires is a little off." She said with knitted brows.

"Its basically all the same. Stronger, faster, marble tough skin, no heartbeat, but in direct sunlight they don't explode, they sparkle like princess-outfit." I answered trying not to snicker.

The smallest and tiniest giggle came out of her lips, but it didn't stay long. "Why did she want me?" She asked tucking some of her damp hair behind her ear.

"To get to us." I grumbled. I could feel that panic all over again, even though she was safe.

"I don't understand. What do you mean?" She asked shaking her head.

I sighed. I didn't have the faintest clue how to start this conversation. "You remember all the girls you were locked in the basement with?" I asked scratching my head again.

She nodded. "Yes,"

"They were our imprints." I said feeling like a bigger idiot with each word I spoke.

She frowned. "I'm lost." She said biting her lip.

Good job Paul, can't even explain imprinting to her without confusing her even more. "Do you know what I am?" I asked calmly.

"Someone that can change into a really big wolf." She answered, sounding like she wasn't sure it was the right answer.

I nodded. "Part of that is, when we see our soul mate, that perfect fit for us, we instantly know. We're pulled that person for the rest of our lives." I said slowly. Listening to myself say it, it wasn't all that bad of an answer.

Her eyes weren't so confused now. "So Emily is Sam's imprint?" She asked.

Jesus, she is smarter than me. "Yeah," I said nodding.

"Why was I taken?" She asked, looking like she was waiting for some kind of let down.

I walked up to her, closing the distance between us that was eating me inside, and cupped her cheek, wiping the rain drops on her cheeks away. "Because your mine." I said simply.

Her breath hitched and she swallowed hard. "M-me?" She stammered, wide-eyed.

"You." I confirmed. She cheeks burned a color I hadn't seen them turn before.

I could tell I was making her uncomfortable, so I dropped my hand but I didn't move away. "How did she know?" She asked trying to change the subject.

I wanted her to be as comfortable with possible, so I answered her. "She could smell me on you." I said with a shrug.

"What about all your injuries?" She asked looking at my once dislocated shoulder.

I looked down at my shoulder and rotated it a little for her to see it was okay, hiding all the pain I could from my face and voice. "Being a shape-shifter, I heal faster and can survive a lot more than a normal human." I told her, patting my shoulder.

Her eyes went big again and her breath wavered. "O-oh," She stuttered.

And that was when she looked completely overwhelmed. I grabbed her arms and held them gently, looking down into her eyes. "I know this is a lot for you, but I promise, I would never hurt you." I said with dead-seriousness.

She looked so very confused at that statement. "I never though you would." She said with a confidence I hadn't heard in her voice in a long time.

Jesus, I was about ready to cry then. If there was a perfect thing to say at that moment, it was what she just told me.

"Are you okay?" She asked, concerned.

I nodded and smiled down at her. "Perfect," I told her honestly.

She averted her eyes quickly, slipped her arms from my grasp and started to back away from me. "I should probably go home now." She said meekly.

I felt the earth fall out from under me. What happened to all that progress I made?! "Why? No one wants you to leave." I said desperately.

She stopped quickly and backed away some. "My parents are probably worried." She tried to say with some kind of conviction.

I knew it was bullshit and I didn't want her near them, not after I almost lost her to a leech. "Anna, please don't go yet." I pled with her.

"This isn't my place." She said with a shaking voice that killed me inside.

I've hurt a lot in my life, but nothing, and I mean nothing, has hurt me more than that single statement. "Yes, it is."

I watched her breath waver again as she sealed her eyes, refusing to look at me.

I didn't understand why she was doing this, why she thought she had to leave, but I couldn't make her stay. There was a part of me that could never force her into anything. "I won't make you stay if you don't want too, but don't leave because you think you have to." I said blankly.

"If I leave, what will you do?" She asked wringing her hands nervously.

"Follow you." I answered quickly and surely.

She looked at her bike, tossed over some boxes so it was out of the rain, and then out at the horrible October weather before us. I could tell she was thinking from the way her lips pursed and her eyes didn't move. There was nothing I could do but hope I meant enough to her to stay.

She took in a deep breath and crossed her arms as she turned back to face me, her eyes still avoiding my own. "I'll stay until you're fully healed." She said quietly.

I didn't care if that would probably be in a day or two, because she'd still be in my house. With me. And in a different town then her asshole parents. "I can live with that." I said smiling widely.

She nodded awkwardly then walked to garage door and left me feeling just a little bit better than I had this morning. It wasn't a full homerun yet, but I had at least made it to first-base. I think.

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	18. Working At It

AN: Hello fair readers! Here is an update for you all. Anna's POV chapter is three chapters away, I know you all are dying to see what she thinks of this whole mess. :P Almost 400 reviews! This is awesome! Thank you all for reading and enjoying! :)

Chapter Eighteen

Working At It

Everyone told me puberty would be more awkward than anything I would ever experience in my entire life. Sure, I spent most of my puberty morphing into a shape-shifter so I could protect my land and my people from sparkling-fucking-vampires but that was a cake walk compared to what my time with Anna had turned into.

Tuesday night wasn't so bad. My mom had gotten my homework for the week when she went to my school with a note from Dr. Cullen telling them I had fallen off the roof while trying to repair the gutter and needed the week to recuperate. She also convinced Anna to stay the week to make sure I didn't do anything stupid. I never loved my mother more than at that moment. I could deal with all of her crazy shit for the rest of my life after this.

Anna helped me with the work while she did hers and we all ate dinner in a calm and quiet manner. She helped Mom clean the kitchen and they both forced me back into bed after I finished half the homework I was given. I had the intention of pretending to sleep until Mom and Anna were asleep themselves, but I passed out. My lasagna was probably drugged.

The next day, I drove Anna school, just to get some time alone with her and she took her bike so she could ride it down to the diner because she was still going to work. I thought it would be easier since she knew everything but it was damn awkward. She hadn't looked so tense since I first imprinted on her and I was reduced to talking about the weather!

It was pathetic.

Embry would come to keep me company until it was time to get Anna from work, but he was probably there on orders from Sam to make sure I didn't run off. The bruises on my side were at their darkest and it was easier to get around, it helped that the pain wasn't so blinding. Embry left a few minutes before I'd leave to get Anna and when I picked her up at the diner, it wasn't any less awkward.

She still wouldn't look at me and she sat ramrod straight, looking like she was waiting for a war to break out in the space between us. All of my instincts were yelling at me, saying _get her closer to you!_ But that little part of me that would never force her to do something wouldn't let me do anything but let her stew in the awkwardness.

Thursday was just as bad but Sam and Emily spent the day with me. They stayed when I left to get Anna and when I brought her back home, Emily had made a whole dinner. I guess her and Emily bonded when I was unconscious because Anna was much calmer with her. Not back to the way she was but I'd take anything over the averted glances and cold conversation.

Anna got up to go to the bathroom and I leaned over the table to Emily. "Do you know what's wrong with her?" I whispered, pointing over my shoulder at the bathroom.

"Smack him," Emily said bluntly to Sam.

Sam promptly knocked his hand upside my head.

"What the hell?!" I hissed, rubbing my head.

"You idiot, she just found out that werewolves and vampires exist, she's going to need some time to process that." She snapped harshly, keeping her voice low.

"Like a week?" I asked with a shrug.

"Hit him again," She snarled at Sam.

Sam's hand raised again but I grabbed it in mid air. "Wait!" I hissed under my breath. "What am I supposed to do then?" I asked Emily desperately.

"Keep your mouth shut and let her do what she needs to do." She answered bluntly. I made a face at that. "And if you start being difficult with her, you'll hurt for it." She threatened me seriously. Sam was positively beaming at his fiancée.

Anna walked out of the bathroom a second later and sat next to Emily with small smile. It killed me that she hadn't smiled for me in almost a week.

Anna and Emily cleaned up the kitchen while I sulked in the living room with Sam. I was going to offer to clean the kitchen with Anna but Sam jammed his heal into my foot when Emily scowled as my mouth opened.

They didn't stay long once everything was cleaned up and my mother wasn't going to be home for a while so I was alone with Anna. A week ago I would be bouncing at the opportunity, but if I had anymore awkward moments with her I'd probably shoot myself, just to see if it helped.

I stood from the couch and walked passed the dining room table where she did her homework. "I'm gonna go work on the car." I said gruffly as I walked passed her.

It hurt to leave her alone, knowing how much of her life she spent alone, but I didn't know what else to do. I told her the truth, I told her how much I cared about her, and I had nothing else to plead my case.

I was a little rougher with the car than I should have been, especially since the engine is almost entirely new now, but I did get a lot work done. I could probably try to start it now, but I didn't want too, it would be an empty victory since Anna wasn't here with me.

I tried to keep working on the car, but I literally ran out of new parts to switch out so to keep from admitting that the only legitimate reason I had to get Anna to spend any kind of time with me was null and void I started checking everything. I jacked up the car and got under it to make sure everything under there was in order, checked the tires and everything else I could without turning it on. I was halfway through checking the alternator when I heard the door from the house open.

I forced any flutters of hope away and continued checking the belts. I had almost convinced myself I hadn't heard anything in the first place when thin, pale hands were laid next to mine. Even though it was dark, there was no denying who was standing next to me. I slowly looked over my shoulder and saw Anna standing next to me nervously. "Do you need any help?" She asked biting her lip.

I could still see the awkwardness in her eyes and the hesitation in her body language, but she was trying. I wasn't denying my imprint an olive branch. "Sure," I said with a nod.

We started working together from there. When there was nothing left to check, I started showing her which fluids needed to go where and put a gallon of gas in the tank. When I was done I walked back to the front of the car and looked down at Anna as she looked at me expectantly.

I swallowed hard and nodded toward the front door. "Start it," I said quietly.

Her eyes went wide. "Its finished?" She asked surprised.

"Yeah," I said nodding.

She looked almost disappointed. "How?" She asked confused.

I shrugged. "I worked on it a lot when you weren't here. Its getting too cold for you to be riding a bike for miles." I said awkwardly, scratching my head.

She nodded and took the single key from her back pocket and walked around the car to the front door. She got in with ease and even though the car was on the small side, she still looked too tiny. She put the key in the ignition, turning on the electrical first, then turned it all the way. It ran smooth and purred like a happy, fat cat. I closed the hood with a smirk on my face and walked to the passenger side and folded myself in. "Sounds good," She told me happily, almost smiling.

I watched her study the car and remembered this was a manual car that some patsy's don't know how to drive. Not that my imprint would _ever_ be a patsy… "Do you know how to drive a manual?" I asked

She nodded. "I learned when I was thirteen." She told me as she started turning the heat on.

I wasn't expecting that. "Really?" I asked confused.

She dropped her head so her hair blocked her face. "It's a long story." She said sadly.

Alright Paul, drop the subject and go back to getting her to smile again. "Well, then show me your skills, take her around the block." I said closing my door.

She looked up at me with suspicion. "Are you sure?" She asked cautiously.

I snorted a laugh. "I'm sure." I said knowingly.

"Okay," She said still sounding concerned and very slowly put the car in reverse and backed out of the driveway.

She drove down the street at twenty-miles-per-hour but I could feel the horsepower that was under the hood, waiting to be used. She did everything by the book, to a point where I was afraid. She was the most OCD driver I'd ever driven with.

"Do you have your license?" I asked with a raised brow.

"Yes," She said with nod, never looking away from the road.

"On you?" I asked hopefully. I didn't want her to get pulled over without it.

The corners of her lips turned up just a little as she took one hand away from the wheel and pulled the sun-shade down to reveal her license, insurance and registration all neatly held to it by three rubber bands.

"Smart," I said impressed. She grinned a little wider. "Alright, its driving good, take it to the gas station. We can fill up the tank." I said unclenching some. I didn't doubt my mechanic skills, I was just worried she might drive us into a ditch. Or a house.

Anna nodded and drove toward the closest gas station, which was one of only two in La Push.

After we finished filling up the car, and driving it around through harsher conditions it proved to be completely sound. Anna was definitely meant to be a driver instead of a passenger. She thrived in the driver's seat. I didn't mind being a passenger to her driver, any other person I would not be okay, but she's not just another person.

We got back to my house at around ten-thirty and we locked up the garage and her newly running vehicle. In the house I got some more food and sat at the dining room table with Anna as she started on her homework. I took mine out as well, because I knew if I just sat there and stared at her, I'd make her uncomfortable and I didn't want to start backtracking now.

I worked for an hour, finishing all the work I had gotten from my teachers, save an essay that I would bullshit over the weekend, and I was exhausted. I hated admitting how tired I was but I needed to sleep. If I wanted to have enough strength on the weekend to stake out Anna's shed, I'd have to get as much rest as I could.

"I'm gonna go to bed now." I told her as I stood, gathering all my papers and shoving them in my backpack.

She looked up at me concerned and nodded. "Okay," She said calmly.

"I'll see you in the morning." I said, waving like an idiot.

She nodded again and I walked away from her and down the hall to my room.

In my room I dropped my stuff and stripped down into my boxers and fell into my bed. It still hurt a little to do it, but I was too tired to care. I closed my eyes and a second later I was sleeping like a baby.

I think I had been sleeping for at least a few hours, I don't know, I didn't really pay attention to my clock but something had woken me up. Not something obvious, like the sun, but something I couldn't figure out at first.

I snapped up in bed, rubbing my eyes and looked around. There was nothing inside my room that was different. I got onto my feet, groaning from the soreness of my ribs and slunk out into the hallway to check on Anna. The only thing I could see on the couch was a lump with her hair, sobbing quietly.

"Anna?" I asked rushing over to the couch.

She quickly untangled herself and looked at me with shock. Her eyes were red, her cheeks were puffy and the tears she had been crying for God knows how long had soaked her pillow.

On automatic impulse I was on my knees in front of her, wiping the tears away. "What's wrong?" I asked, damn near close to frantic.

She tried to straighten up and stop crying but it didn't convince me something wasn't up. "You should be sleeping." She choked out, trying to wipe away all the tears.

I moved closer to her, burying my fingers deep into her hair while my other hand stroked the outside of her thigh. "You shouldn't be crying." I said quietly.

She sniffled and looked at me with defeated eyes. "I'm scared." She whispered.

I tensed up. "Why?" I asked lowly. I already had a few murder scenarios playing out in my head.

She started tracing the vein on the crease of my arm slowly, making my skin break out with goose bumps. "I don't know what my parents are going to do tomorrow." She answered shakily.

I had been thinking about that myself. I didn't know how her parents would take her week absence but it wouldn't be good. The only thing left from the vamp attack was some soreness, if I saw them hurt her they'd be dead before they could take another breath. "You can stay here." I said firmly.

"No, I can't." She muttered, shaking her head.

"Why not?" I asked frustrated. She seriously couldn't want to be there more than here.

She took in a deep breath and looked me square in the eye. "I'm not eighteen. They can call the police and press kidnapping charges if they were in spiteful enough moods." She answered solemnly.

Fuck, she had a point. Would Charlie really arrest me? Could I break out of a holding cell without anyone noticing?

"I don't want to get you into that kind of trouble." She told me sadly.

"I don't want you alone with them." I ground out.

Her hazel-blue eyes lost their sadness for a moment as she looked at me with shock. "You know?" She asked, frightened.

I could only nod. My jaw was tight enough to make my teeth crack.

She dropped her head, and this time, she wasn't trying to hide her tears. She was ashamed, I could tell and I didn't want her to be. None of what her parents did was her fault and I just wanted her to stop getting hurt by them.

I moved her hair back and kissed her before she could do anything. I felt her tears hit my skin and I wrapped my arms as tight around her as I could without breaking her. She gripped my biceps, hard enough for me to truly feel it. She still fit perfectly with me, there wasn't anything awkward between us at that moment. It would have been a great moment if she wasn't crying, or that I'd have to leave her with her parents that were the human equivalent of scum.

I pulled away from her lips and made myself eye to eye with her. "I'll come up with something." I told her, trying to soothe her fears.

She started to shake her head. "Paul-"

I cut her off before she could try to talk me out of it. "Anna, I'm not going to sit back and let _anyone_ hurt you. Jail time or not, I'm going to get you out of there." I said firmly.

She looked at me for a long time, the emotions pooling from her eyes were stuck between frustration and appreciation. "I still have to go back tomorrow." She said sadly.

I sat next to her on the couch and rubbed her back, but I was really calming myself. I was actually going to have to let her go, until my dumbass came up with something better. "I'll be close by." I said lowly. I was feeling angrier by the second from everything. The only thing keeping me from hulking out into a wolf was Anna's fear.

"Define close?" She asked worryingly.

"If you need me, just say my name, I'll be right there." I answered surely.

She looked at me with knitted brows. "That's borderline stalking." She said with a

I snorted a laugh. "It's a fine line." I said casually.

She rested her head on my shoulder and wrapped her thin arms around me. I only had to put one of my arms around her to cover her. She sighed against my skin and moved closer to me. "I'm not hurting you am I?" She asked concerned, since she was leaning on the shoulder that had been hurt.

"You're too small to hurt anything, other than asshole teenagers." I snorted. She snuggled closer to me and my shoulder didn't even notice the extra weight. "How did you know what to do about my shoulder?" I asked curiously.

"Spent a summer as a vets assistant when I was fifteen." She answered simply. "I never thought I'd have to use that group of skills on a shape-shifter after a vampire attack." She added under her breath.

"Welcome to my world." I grumbled. She chuckled and folded herself onto my lap.

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	19. Master Plan

AN: After trying for almost two months to get my EmbryOC story out, I've decided to change POV's. I wanted to have it formatted like Save Her, but I'm having a hard time starting out with Embry, so I'm starting out with Celia. I'll try to get it out over the weekend if possible. Enjoy this update and yes, I should update same time next week. Thank you all for the amazing reviews, you are all so great!

Chapter Nineteen

Master Plan

I never really had a problem with my stupidity before. There were times when being smart would have been a lot easier for me, but for the most part I managed well with whatever brains I had in my head. But it wasn't just about me any more, Anna needed me to come up with a way to get her away from her parents without them pressing charges with the police. It's harder than it sounds. I came up with a million ideas, but they all ended in murder, jail time, and exposing who I was to the world.

Needless to say, they all sucked.

I was panicking all of Friday and followed her from the diner to her house in wolf form. When she got there, her parents were already passed out. It was a strike of luck. She parked her car right next to the shed and put her bike in the trunk for an unknown reason to me. She was really attached to that bike, even though she had a working vehicle.

I stayed there all night, in case she got scared and needed me or her asshole parents woke up, but it never happened. She was fine all night. Saturday morning she slept in a little then went to work at about noon. Her parents were still out cold. I was starting to hope they were dead, but they were most certainly alive from the snoring I could hear.

I followed her to diner and she was perfectly fine there and I knew I'd have to leave to go back to La Push. Nothing was going on there that needed my attention, but Mom asked me to stay to help her around the house. I only agreed because Anna was usually fine at work, her boss was an ass, but he wouldn't stand for anyone harassing his employee's, he'd lose money then.

So all through Saturday I was a good son and did whatever my mother asked. When all of her bat-shit insane demands were met, I left and went back to the diner. Anna had left, so I went back to her house, but her car wasn't fucking there.

I started panicking. She didn't have a cell phone, and now she had a car so she could be _anywhere_. I had no way of finding her, other than my nose.

I went back to the diner, where her scent was most recent and followed it from there. The trail led me into Forks, to the camping store. In the parking lot, parked in the very back was Anna's Challenger.

I was relieved, for a second. Why the hell did she need to come _here_? She doesn't go camping. She doesn't strike me as the kind of person that would take up fishing either.

Everything in me wanted to phase and storm right into the store to find her. But I really didn't want her to think I was a super crazy stalker. Even if I was. She might still think I'm kind of normal and I wanted her to hold onto that for as long as possible.

So I waited, as close to the store as I could be, which wasn't as close as I would have liked. If I got any closer someone would see me and then I'd have a bigger problem than figuring out why Anna was at a camping store.

She came out about fifteen minutes later, with a huge bag, like big enough for her to fit in it. She carried it to her car and stowed it in the back and drove off like it was nothing. She looked unharmed but there was something about her that was off with her. She still drove like a pro without any problems and straight back to her house, but when she got there, she backed up to her shed and her mother was waiting outside her shed with bolt cutters.

I almost flipped. That is not the kind of scene I can walk into without losing my cool, but I managed. Barely.

Anna got out of her car with the big bag from the camping store, which was actually a duffle bag that could fit two of her, easily. I was starting to get antsy.

"What took you so long?" Her mother snapped, waving the bolt cutters like they were nothing more than a pencil.

"There was a line." Anna answered calmly.

Her mother accepted the answer with a huff. "Are you going to open this, or do I have to?" She snarled.

Anna held her breath and didn't say anything, just walked up to the door and unlocked the door of the shed.

Her mother huffed again and just dropped the bolt cutters on the ground. "I want all of your shit out." She demanded. "And if you even try to tell welfare that you moved out, the cops will be picking you and little boyfriend up." She threatened, putting her face in Anna's personal space.

I was going to kill that bitch.

"I mean it, get all of your shit out now, I don't want to have to see you again." That ugly broad told Anna.

"Like wise." Anna whispered it so low that I only I could hear her.

Her mother stalked off back toward the house. "I want you gone within the hour!" She yelled over her shoulder before she slammed the back door shut.

Anna sighed and went back into her shed for more of her things and I phased back. I pulled my shorts on and snuck up into the shed. Her back was to me so I grabbed her shoulders with both hands making her jump and spin to look at me.

"Paul!" She cursed under her breath. "What are you doing here?!" She whispered harshly, looking around me in a panic.

"I told you I'd be close by." I reminded her.

"If they see you here, they will call the cops." She chided.

"When did this all happen?" I asked confused.

"I left early, my boss had a family emergency, so he just closed the diner down. When I got back she was waiting for me, telling me that since I had boyfriend and a car, I didn't need to be their burden anymore and told me to get my stuff out." She answered indifferently.

"So I'm your boyfriend?" I asked grinning.

She blushed so bright, she almost glowed.

That eased the mood of the room. "What was she talking about 'welfare'?" I asked confused.

"They get money from the state, more because I'm still a minor and living with them. If I tell welfare that I moved out, they wouldn't get that money anymore." She explained as she picked up a garbage bag full of clothes.

"Let me," I said, trying to take the clothes from her.

"No! You stay here." She ordered.

I conceded and watched her closely as she put the clothes into the bag and came back to the shed.

"I'll stay until you leave, then run ahead and tell my mom you're coming, we can clear some space for you stuff." I told her as she started packing her books into a large box.

She stopped and looked up at me. There was a conflict going on in her genius mind and I couldn't tell if that was good or bad for me. "I was going to put it in my storage garage." She finally said.

"Wait, you're not going to argue about living with me?" I asked in shock.

She sighed. "I don't have anywhere else to stay, and its not like you'd let me live in my car." She pointed out, frustrated.

"Damn right," I said proudly.

"Only until I can find something for myself." She said firmly.

The grin I had only grew. "You can rent a room at my house." I offered quickly.

"What are you talking about?" She asked confused and interested at the same time.

"My mom is moving out after Christmas, she has a job in Seattle she's taking, you can take her room." I said surely.

She thought for a moment before she started to speak, but I stopped her before she started. This was my shot at actually being sort-of happy. Its not like I'd get there without Anna.

"You'd have your own room and I'd even let you pay the water bill." I said somewhat begrudgingly. I really hated the thought of her paying for anything. I wanted to be the one to take care of her for the rest of her life, but I had a _strong_ feeling she wasn't the type to let me.

"It's like twenty dollars a month." She said annoyed.

I shrugged. "Baby steps."

"But that's not till Christmas." She pointed out.

"We can talk to my mom about it, she might want to move sooner, you never know." I told her, trying not to sound like I already knew I could get my mother out of the house tonight.

She bit her lip, the way she did when she was thinking hard about something, and stared out the door of the shed for a moment. I knew my argument was solid, even if I wasn't already a cocky bastard, but I still had the slightest hint of fear in that moment that she wouldn't agree.

"Okay," She conceded with a sigh.

I could have jumped to the moon and back, I felt so good. The grin I had was not going to leave.

"Stop smirking!" She yelled, hitting my stomach playfully.

"There's nothing to stop it." I said knowingly. I'd still be grinning well into the week after this win.

"Just, get the stuff under my bed, please?" She asked in a huff, pointing down under the cot.

"Alright," I said, trying not to smile, and failing.

I helped her gather all of her things, but she carried them all out to the duffle. When she tried to get it into her car, it was too heavy, so I sneaked out and tossed it in the back with ease. She chided me for a few seconds, before I ran off toward La Push. I didn't bother phasing back and made it to my house within ten minutes.

"Mom!" I yelled, running through the back door, into the kitchen.

"What?" I heard her yell back from the living room.

I walked into the living room after kicking as much mud off my feet as I could. "Anna's coming." I told her simply.

"Okay," She said looking at me strangely.

"With all of her stuff, she got kicked out." I added.

"She got _what_?!" She yelled angrily.

"Hey, she's unharmed and doesn't have to deal with her parents anymore, I'd call this a win." I said holding my hands up.

"I'll start clearing out the garage." She said sighing, getting ready to haul herself up from the couch.

"She's taking her stuff to a storage garage in Forks." I said before she got on her feet.

"And you're going down there." She said knowingly.

"Once I can find a shirt." I said before turning toward my room.

"They're all being washed." She said before I could make it to the hallway.

I looked down at my bare chest and feet and shrugged. "Eh, fuck it." I muttered to myself.

I walked out of the house with my keys and flip-flops and got into my truck. In all the times I've driven to Forks to get to Anna, I didn't have a damn thing to panic about this time. It was nice, knowing she was more than likely totally fine. Nothing short of a semi-truck or a bus was going to hurt that hunk of pure steel and her parents had practically disowned her. I wonder if it's bad that this whole thing has made me happier than a fat kid with cake. Probably.

I drove down to the garage where I originally towed the Challenger from and saw her already parked in front of it. I parked near by and walked over to where she was moving things around in the garage, which was damn near empty with three boxes of her things and her bike.

"Hey," I said as I walked around her car and into the garage.

She didn't look up from the box she was looking through and a huffed. "I should yell at you for wasting gas." She said, tired.

"But you won't." I said grinning. She sighed and continued what she was doing. "Are you really just keeping your bike and a few boxes of books in here? You can keep that at my house and cancel the lease on this thing." I said surely.

"It was given to me, its mine until I want to sell it." She murmured.

I had a feeling this garage was connected to the Challenger, but I wasn't going to ask. I knew it was a touchy subject.

She folded up the box and pushed it to the corner and walked back to her trunk. "Okay, that's everything." She said as she stuffed all of her clothes back into the duffle.

"My mother will never let you keep those clothes." I told her sympathetically.

"I had a feeling." She sighed.

It was almost cute how she already knew how my mother was going to affect her wardrobe. "You can follow me back." I said as I started shuffling back to my truck.

"Or you can follow me." She said with a crooked grin as she climbed into the driver's seat.

My jaw was hanging as I watched her drive off. "I love that girl." I managed to mutter to myself before I ran to my truck and sped after her.

She made it back to La Push before I did. I couldn't even catch up to her, but that's my fault. I gave that car more horse power than my truck had or could ever have. She was at her trunk with my mother who was, as predicted, going through her clothes.

Walking up to them, all I heard was. "Honey, this needs to be put out of its misery." My mother said as she held up a shirt that was so torn and worn out I could barely believe it was still held together.

"Mom, stop torturing her." I said flatly.

Mom and Anna turned to look at me at the same time. The two most important women in my life were just standing there, completely oblivious to the fact that if something happened to them at that moment, I'd turn into a killing machine until they were safe or I was dead. It's one of those realizations you're uncomfortable with telling other people. That's the beauty of being a shape-shifter. My brothers could empathize with me without me having to say a word. My mother on the other hand…

"I'm helping." Mom said innocently.

I was about to call on her on her shit when Anna smiled at the both of us. "Its okay," She said, sounding happier than she had all day. I had the feeling that she actually enjoyed having my mother go through all of the clothing she owned and tell her what she was allowed to keep and what had to be burned.

Mom quickly ignored me and went back to looking through the bag in her trunk. "We'll go shopping tomorrow since Paul has already done all of his work." She said comfortingly, patting Anna's shoulder.

I stiffened and almost glared at her. Almost. Normally I wouldn't have a problem, but she was letting Anna stay without a fight and she was making my imprint happy at the moment. The only quarrel I had with her was that she'd be taking Anna away from me when we could be spending time together, not being awkward around each other.

"It'll be later, I have a phone call I have to be on from four to six." Mom told me without even looking at me. Her super-mom powers scare me sometimes…

"I can live with that." I mumbled.

"Yes, you can." My mother said surely, with a pointed look over her shoulder. I knew she wasn't doing this so much to just go shopping, but to actually do something nice for Anna, but I liked to be a pain in her ass.

"You thought the werewolf thing was crazy." I muttered to Anna.

Anna tried not to laugh as my mother rolled her eyes and went back to searching through Anna's clothes. I felt a small hand slip into mine and grasp my thumb as Anna moved closer to me. I smiled to myself and held her hand in a gentle grip as we listened to my mother rant.

AN: Review!


	20. The New Way

AN: This took a week longer than expected, sorry about that. Probably won't update next week because I need to study for my GED, I've been procrastinating and its just around the corners, so I have to hit the books, hard. I really hope you enjoy the shameless fluff waiting for you, though! :) And thank you again for all of the reviews, you are all wonderful!

Chapter Twenty

The New Way

It only took my mother fifteen minutes to just tell Anna she needed all new clothes, period. The only thing she was allowed to keep was the hoodie I gave her. Mom took the giant bag to the garage as I took Anna into the house.

"I feel the need to apologize for my over-bearing mother again." I said apologetically.

"You don't." She said shaking her head. I looked at her incredulously. "I really don't mind. It's kind of nice to know she cares." She told me with a smile.

My mother was crazy, but I had a feeling she was the kind of crazy Anna wanted. I couldn't blame her for it either, my mother was my type of crazy too. "Alright," I said with a nod.

"Anna, did you eat?" Mom asked as she came in from the garage.

"A little," Anna answered quietly. That was probably a no.

"I have to shower, but you're welcome to anything in the fridge. I'm sure Paul will take you to the store if there's something special you want." Mom told her with a wink toward me. I rolled my eyes with a growl.

"I'm sure I'll be fine, thank you." Anna said smiling.

Mom pulled Anna into a hug suddenly and held her tightly. Anna returned the gesture very awkwardly. That was my mother for you…"You're welcome Sweetie," She said in a very motherly tone.

When my mother shut the bathroom door I herded Anna into the kitchen and made her get a plate of food. She chose carrots and some spaghetti that Mom had probably made earlier and I just took a box of cereal and dumped it into the biggest bowl I could find and used half a gallon of milk on it. Anna looked at me funny for getting it, but it was my 'celebration cereal'. My mother came up with it years ago, when ever we did something good we'd take a huge bowl fill it with cereal and split it between us. It's hard to break a tradition that awesome and delicious.

After we were done with our convoluted dinner, I washed the dishes with Anna and we were left with nothing to do. It was late enough for me to sleep, but I didn't want to so I pulled the first idea I had in my head. "Want to watch TV?" I asked lamely.

She looked out at the empty living room and then back at me and nodded. "Sure," She said with a little smile.

We sat on the comfy couch together. I was going to let her take the end that had the best view, but she sat right in the middle, leaving me the good seat. I would have said something, but I remembered the only place there was really a TV for Anna was at the diner or her parents living room, so I doubted she watched much of anything.

I turned on a movie channel that was playing a decent movie. Nothing too gory, or sappy. Of course I wasn't paying the least bit of attention to it, not with Anna sitting, literally six inches away from me. I was hyper aware that I could touch her whenever I wanted, but I wasn't sure how comfortable she was with that, so I didn't. I got her to stay with me, I wasn't pushing anything for the rest of the night.

Half way through the movie she pulled her legs up to her chest and rested her head on them. I could tell she was getting tired. I didn't want to ask if she was, because I didn't want to leave the room, but I knew I had to. I opened my mouth to ask the dreaded question when she leaned over and rested against my shoulder.

I wasn't going anywhere now.

The rest of the movie was a blur to me because I spent the time studying Anna. She was much calmer than she had been all day and almost fell asleep a few times. When the credits started to roll and the mind-numbing music came on, she actually did fall right to sleep.

A gentleman would have removed himself and tucked her in, but I wasn't quite that guy. I picked her up and laid her on my side as I stretched out on the couch. She muttered something in her sleep and covered her face with her hands but didn't wake up.

With my arms wrapped tightly around her I closed my eyes just from being so content and soon I had fallen into a peaceful nights rest.

I hadn't slept so well since Doc Cullen had me on the super dose of pain meds. God, it was magical. It was ten times better than sex and all I did was sleep, fully clothed, with my imprint.

I didn't know what time it was when I woke up, but the sun was kind of coming through the windows, really the fog was just a little brighter, and someone was rattling around in the kitchen. Anna mewed next to me as she tightened the grip on my arm she found in her sleep. I grinned and pretended my mother wasn't making some kind of breakfast and just watched her sleep.

There wasn't a trace of a bad dream on her beautiful face, only a little bit of drool, which was damn near the cutest thing I've ever seen.

My mothers face hanging over the couch interrupted my perfect morning. "I'm going to go food shop while it's still early. You two better not have ruined my good couch when I get back." She whispered seriously, so she wouldn't wake up Anna.

"No more ruined then when you left." I countered.

"Funny," She said flatly before leaving through the garage door.

I continued to watch Anna as she slept soundly. I wondered how much longer she would sleep. I still couldn't figure how we were comfortably on the couch, but she was small enough to slip between me and the back of the couch and I would be comfortable in a tin box with her. I started brushing her hair away from her face when her eyes began to flutter. I moved my hand from her soft hair, back to her shoulder and waited for her to wake up.

She went from being entirely relaxed, to stiffening up right before she opened her eyes. Her eyes were wide and she almost looked afraid for a second.

"Morning," I said grinning.

She looked a new kind of embarrassed looking up at me, with her cheeks turning super bright red. "Did I talk in my sleep?" She asked nervously.

I could tell my arms around her were unnerving her by the way she tried to wiggle out of them so I pretended to stretch them out and folded them behind my head. "Not that I remember." I said truthfully. All I remember was her looking absolutely beautiful… God, I sound like a chick.

She let out a sigh that wasn't entirely relieved and relaxed her head on my bicep. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep on you." She mumbled as she very cautiously placed her hand on my stomach.

I moved my lips to her forehead and kissed the warm, soft skin as I held the hand she rested on my stomach. "I don't mind." I mumbled with my lips still on her skin.

She was relaxed now that she was more awake and I let my other arm fall loosely on her, so she knew she wasn't being held down. I watched her as she stared at my hand that covered hers intently. She pulled her hand out from underneath mine for a moment and I almost frowned until she laced her fingers through mine.

Her fingers were smaller and thinner than mine and so much softer, even though she did work with her hands a lot. "Why didn't you imprint on another Quileute?" She asked quietly.

Her pale skin was a stark contrast to my warm copper skin, but I loved it. I loved the fact that her skin was almost like snow and that her hair and eyes were lighter than mine. But I could tell something about it really bothered her. "I don't know, do you have any Native blood?" I asked teasingly, trying to lighten the mood.

"My father's grandmother was full blooded Lakota." She answered casually.

"Wait - really?" I asked surprised.

"Yeah, we just never inherited her genes." She said shrugging a little, sounding drearier with each syllable.

"What's wrong?" I asked seriously.

"I know your mom and the pack and their imprints accept me, but what about the rest of La Push?" She asked worryingly.

I stroked the side of her face and gripped her hand. "The people that matter to me have already accepted you, so what the rest of the people think doesn't matter." I said firmly.

She looked at me confused for a while.

"If anyone gives you problems, you tell me, and I will set them straight. You are mine, and I won't let anyone hurt you." I told her seriously, holding her tighter to me.

She giggled. "Emily was right, you are possessive." She said, smiling a little.

"Its one of my more lovable traits." I said with a grin.

She smiled wider and turned her head to my shoulder, to hide her face. With the arm she rest on, I rolled her onto my chest so I could kiss the top of her head. She let out a long breath making her entire body relax and she let me hold her, for what felt like hours. But sadly, it couldn't last for ever and she lifted herself up from my chest with a smile on her face.

"Can we get up now? I'm kind of hungry." She asked, looking between me and the ground.

"Nag, nag, nag, is this how its going to be now?" I asked as I hauled myself up and off the couch.

I offered her my hand as she looked at me with narrowed eyes. "If I wasn't afraid of your cooking skills, you'd be making me breakfast for that." She said as he took my hand.

"Hey, I have skills." I said defensively as I pulled her to her feet.

Standing a few inches in front of me she tried not to laugh. "I'm sure." She said unconvinced.

She was still a head shorter than me, but she was different from when I first saw her. Her skin looked less sallow, the dark circles were gone from her eyes and even her hair looked healthier. I felt a strong sense of pride, seeing that my presence in her life actually made it better.

I brushed her hair behind her ear gently and stroked the back of her neck. "Don't worry about anything, okay." I said seriously.

"What about shopping with your mom?" She asked with a grin.

"You can worry about that." I said as I made a face.

She laughed. "Do you have pancake mix?" She asked walking around me and into the kitchen.

I sighed and followed her. "I think so." I said as I scratched my head.

We made pancakes, bacon and eggs together for breakfast after we changed out of what we were wearing. It was way better then having to share her with my mom, or her boyfriend or anyone else. There was no rush. No school, or other people to distract her. Just me and her and a butt-ton of bacon. God, this was turning out to be the best day of my life.

We even cleaned the kitchen together, as corny as it sounds. She didn't even have to ask me to help. I'd probably clean a cemetery with her. We were alone for a grand total of almost two hours before someone had to ruin it.

We were back on the couch, she had her legs over mine while she read and I watched TV. Well, not really, whatever bullshit was on was just a pretense, I was staring at her. But the door flew open about ten minutes into our time relaxing together. "Hey, I heard you where here!" I heard Embry yell not even a second after the door opened. I groaned instantly.

Anna closed her book and looked over at him with a smile. "Hi Embry," She said surprised.

Embry shut the door behind him and walked into the living room. "He hasn't been giving you trouble, has he?" He asked with a wink.

"Not too much trouble." She said shaking her head, looking at me with a grin. I rolled my eyes at Embry.

"Well, I'll set him straight for you, if he is." He said with a nod, trying to look tough by crossing his arms over his chest. I could take that little bastard and break him into bread crumbs, but Anna liked him and that made him untouchable to my wrath. For now.

Anna looked from Embry, back to me and smiled wider. "I can handle him." She said surely.

God, she can handle me whenever she wants…

Embry laughed like a hyena on steroids and flopped onto the other couch. He tried to lounge back on the couch, but only stayed for a few seconds. After a full minute of fidgeting I had to say something.

"What's wrong with you?" I asked disgusted.

"Nothing," He muttered.

"You still haven't talked to her, have you?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Who?" Anna asked confused.

"Celia," Embry mumbled quietly.

Anna's brows pulled together for a few seconds. "She's your imprint, isn't she?" She asked, even though we all knew she had already figured it out with her brilliant mind.

Embry nodded pathetically.

"I can help." She offered meekly.

"You can?" He asked hopefully, looking like a goddamn puppy that just found his long lost bone.

She nodded. "We have a project we're going to be working on soon, we could meet out here." She said looking at me questioningly. I agreed with a nod, only because if he had his own imprint to follow around, he'd stop hanging around mine so much.

"Thank you!" Embry cried, launching from the couch, grabbing Anna from my lap and hugging her. I would have hit him but Anna laughed. I growled sourly and waited for the moment that, that bastard was sharing with my imprint to end.

Just when he put her down and before I could hit him, Mom came in the front door with a broad smile on her face.

"Oh good, Embry, you're here, you can help Paul bring in all the food." Mom told us sweetly.

We both groaned, but shuffled out to the driveway and hauled in all the bags of food from her sedan.

The three of us put the food away while Mom made lunch for us all. The kitchen was crowded to say the least. After lunch Embry hung around for a little longer, trying to get more information out of Anna about Celia. I threw him out after he asked what her favorite color was. Anna gave me a disapproving look, but I shrugged it off. He was annoying me.

Mom disappeared into her room to take the call she had for work a few minutes later, which meant I only had two hours with Anna before my mother stole her away for god knows how long.

That woman could shop the rest of her life if someone let her. I hoped Anna liked shopping, or at least didn't mind it, because that would be the only way she'd survive my mothers power walking and the monologue she did whenever she was trying to chose between two items of clothing.

Just thinking about the hell my imprint would be going through for the sake of my mother made my start to twitch, so I put it as far from my mind as possible and focused on just being there with her for that moment.

Even with all my talk, I really did trust my crazy mother with Anna. She cared about her and wouldn't do anything to hurt her. I knew the reason she wanted to take Anna shopping was to give her something her mother never did. And a few weeks after this, I'd thank her for it. I have a waiting period before I can admit when my mother is right. It's an ego thing…

The two hours were up before I knew it and my mom came traipsing out of her room, grinning.

"Ready Anna?" Mom asked sounding like a kid on Christmas.

Anna nodded. "Sure," She said as she left the security of my lap.

"Can I leave my house in your care without it falling to pieces?" My mother asked me seriously.

"Maybe." I said with a grin. Mom huffed and took her purse and keys off the table and left the house. I looked down to Anna and forced myself not to lock her away with me in my room. "Bye," I mumbled.

Anna put her hands on my shoulders, stood on the tips of her toes and kissed me. I wrapped my arms around her and lifted her off the ground, making her squeak against my lips. Her arms curled around my neck while she sighed. I lowered her back down to the ground and she, very slowly, pulled away from me and my lips.

"I'll see you later." She murmured and squeezed my hand before she left me in the empty house with nothing to do but worry about her.

AN: Review!


	21. Calm and Casual

AN: THANK GOD! I'm done with all that GED crap. However, I'll just be onto college in September, until then, however, I will be writing! I hope you all take this extra long chapter as my token of thanks for being so patient with me. I will try my best to update next week and I hope to be back on my little schedule thingy soon. :D Enjoy! Oh, and this is in Anna's POV. As promised. :)

Chapter Twenty One

Calm and Casual

I had never been shopping for leisure before. I trusted Dana enough, but I was still wary about the trip. The sun was still in the sky as we got onto the highway and she was still deciding on what she called a 'shopping extravaganza'. This was outside my comfort zone but I agreed with Dana, I needed clothes that fit properly. I couldn't hide behind rags forever.

"Were going to make a quick stop before the mall, if you don't mind." Dana said as she pulled off on the nearest exit.

"You are the driver," I said with a shrug.

"Very true." She said with a grin.

She didn't drive very far from the highway, pulling into a shopping plaza after the second light. It was a fairly new building with a dozen small shops. She drove down to the end of the row of shops and parked in front of the second to last one. It was a store for a cell phone company. Dana was out of the car and at the door before I even had my feet on the ground. I caught up to her in the store and waited patiently behind her.

She went straight to the small counter with a smile. "Hello, what can I do for you today?" One of the men asked politely.

"I'm picking up a phone, Woodburn." Dana told him expertly.

"One moment." He said before he turned and went through the door that read, 'Employee's Only'.

He wasn't gone for long, and came back with a small box. He

"Here is your new phone," He said as he opened the box and took out the small, silver, flip phone and handed it to Dana.

She opened the phone and turned it on while she inspected it. "With the numbers already programmed in?" She asked in a tone that reminded me of Paul at that moment.

"Yes," He confirmed with a nod.

"Wonderful!" She said happily.

"Could you make an outgoing call, just to make sure everything is in order?" He asked.

"Of course," She said, taking out her other cell phone while she dialed on the new phone.

Five seconds later, her phone rang and she smiled even wider.

"Perfect!" She cried, thoroughly pleased.

"Have a wonderful day." The man said handing her the box with a small smile.

Dana placed the phone back in the box as we started to walk out of the store. "You too," She said cheerily over her shoulder as we left. We got into the car and before she started it, she handed me the box. "Here you go, it's yours," She said simply.

I felt my eyes gouge out of my head as I gaped at her and quickly started shaking my head.

Dana put up her hand and spoke before I could formulate a sentence. "I know your about to try and talk me out of it, but it's useless. The line is free, and so was the phone with all the upgrade business and I know this would make Paul and me much more comfortable knowing we could get a hold of you at anytime. You know how fast things happen around here." She explained knowingly.

That last sentence did me in. After almost being a late-night snack for a vampire, the thought of having a device that let me get in contact with my shape-shifting friends did offer me a fair bit of comfort. "Okay," I agreed, defeated.

She did me the favor of at least trying to hide her smile. "If it makes you feel any more comfortable, you can give me fifteen-dollars a month toward the bill." She said as she turned on the car.

"It would." I said firmly as I put my seat belt on.

"See, I knew we could compromise." She said smiling as she put the car in gear and sped off.

I never had a cell phone before, but I knew how to use one. I felt very awkward accepting a gift of this nature, but I learned a while ago, that there was no arguing with any member of the Woodburn family. I pocketed my new phone and wondering if Paul was behind it all while I waited for the shopping to commence.

It didn't take more than ten minutes to get to the mall, thanks to Dana's need for speed, and we parked as close as we could.

"Well, we only have an hour to shop, we better go fast." She said in a rush as she exited the car in a hurry and started power walking toward the door. I was more than a few steps behind her when she locked the car with her remote, just before entering the department store.

If I didn't feel out of my element before, I sure did now. We walked right into the junior's department, which I think was planned on Dana's part, and there were a handful of other girls with their mothers and friends, shopping and they all stopped to look at me when I came through the door. I knew why they were looking, my clothes and the fact that I was with someone significantly darker than myself. I could only imagine what it would have been like if Paul had come.

"What kind of clothes do you like best?" She asked, shaking me out of my thoughts.

"Jeans and tee-shirts." I answered with a shrug.

"I can work with that." She said surely. "You should probably get some underwear as well, I'll let you do that on your own while I pick out some things for you." She said gently, pointing to the right were I could clearly see the section of the department store full of underwear and bra's.

"Okay," I said with a nod and we parted ways.

I wasn't so bad in the underwear department. I knew I need medium underwear, but I didn't have a clue about the bras. So after I chose two packages of boy-shorts, I wandered aimlessly through the bras. Not five minutes into my wandering, a nice, old woman working for the store offered to help me find some bras. After a little bit of measuring she concluded I was a 32 B and helped me find three bras, just to start out with because she said I would grow more in my coming years. I didn't know if I should have been relieved or mortified. The woman got me a bag to carry everything in and I went to find Dana, but she found me first.

She had two large bags herself, filled with jeans and shirts and a few dresses. "I thought you said 'some'?" I asked baffled.

"I might have gone a little over board, but you'll like them I promise, lets go to the dressing rooms!" Dana urged, ushering me toward the rooms that were located in the middle of the junior's department.

She took the bag of the underwear from me and pushed me into the first open stall there was with the other two bags. The stall was spacious, but the bags took up half the floor space. I took a pair of jeans from one bag and a shirt from the other and changed as quickly as I could.

The jeans, which were tight on me, but stretched, were dark and the shirt was a dark blue, long sleeved, v-neck that hugged all of me. It fit like it was supposed to, but I didn't like my shirts to be clingy, I liked them to hang off me a little. I tried to pull at them, for them to stretch out, but they just assumed their shape all over again.

"Come on out, I want to see what you look like in them!" I heard Dana call from outside the stall.

I sighed and left the stall, feeling more unsure with every step I took. When I got to Dana, who was sitting the little waiting area of the dressing rooms, looking extremely excited, I felt entirely self-conscious and uncomfortable.

"I don't know about the shirt." I mumbled, pulling at it some more.

"It is a little tight, I'll get the next size up." She assured me. I felt supremely relieved when she didn't try to persuade me that there was no issue with the shirt. "Try on a dress while I get it!" She ordered before dashing away.

I shook my head and went back to the stall I had previously occupied and stripped down and put on the first dress I could find.

We played this game for a while, maybe even the entire hour, before I ended up with two stuffed bags clothes. I had tried on all but the underwear and Dana even when to the shoe department and got me two pairs of shoes. Nothing fancy, just sneakers which I liked, but Dana said they were still stylish. At the check out counter, the woman looked completely exhausted but rang everything up all the same. I didn't want to see the price of all the clothes, because I had just spent so much on my car, even though the money was left to me for that reason.

The cashier rang up the last piece of clothing and told us the price, well over three-hundred dollars, but we apparently saved half of that amount. Before I could take out my check card and hand it to the cashier, Dana pulled out her department store credit card and handed it to her.

"Your going to try and argue again, but using the card saves another fifteen-percent and besides," She stopped and sighed, tucking one of the long strands of my hair behind my ear. "I never had a girl to spoil." She said sadly.

As hard as it was to let another person take care of me, like Dana was, it was still comforting to me and I could tell that it was just comforting to her. I took in a deep breath to help stifle my opposition and nodded.

Dana smiled brightly and pulled me into a fierce hug. "I have something I'll need your help with later on, you can think of it as paying me back." She told me as she released me.

"I'll try." I said with half a smile.

We left the department store, with four bags that were smaller than one's we had used to carry all the clothes around and got into her car, stuffing all the bags in the back. Just as she started talking about taking me shopping for purses and accessories next week, her purse made a buzzing sound, she didn't even need to look at her phone to know who it was.

"That boy," She groaned, shaking her head as she took the phone from her purse and answered the call. "For God's sake Paul, you've been texting me since we left, and I've told you, she's fine!" She yelled the very second she answered. I could make out Paul's deep voice on the other end of the line, making my skin erupt in goose-bumps. "We're leaving now. While you're waiting for us, get my old dresser from the garage and put it in the dining room, next to the china cabinet. And don't call again!" She ordered just before hanging up.

She huffed as she shoved her phone back in her purse and tossed it behind her. I looked at her sympathetically.

"I suggest you get used to that over-protective streak." She said with a loud huff.

I smiled meekly. "I'm starting to." I said quietly.

With a nod of agreement, she drove out of the parking lot and started toward the highway, driving much slower than she had on the way to the department store. We weren't in as much of a rush, and I think she was trying to irritate Paul further.

I was still a little surprised to hear that Paul had been in constant contact with his mother during our trip. Then again, her phone is always on silent and I spent most of the time in a dressing room, so it is quite possible that Paul had been berating her for the whole time.

It didn't take much longer to get back to La Push and when we arrived Paul was waiting for us in the dark of the night, leaning against my car. Dana scoffed as she parked the car behind Paul's truck and grabbed her purse from the back and left the car in a huff. Paul came to my door and opened it just as I was getting my seatbelt off.

I'll admit it was calming to see Paul again. Even though I wasn't gone for very long, or even put under any stress, I just always felt better around him. I stood with the cell phone box in my hand, but Paul made no notice of anything that was involved with direct eye contact.

"You have fun?" He asked hopefully.

I nodded, moving away from the car so Paul could shut the door. "Yeah, it was nice." I said truthfully, just barely noticing Dana go into the house from behind Paul.

He smiled at my answer. "Good," He said relieved.

There was barely a second of silence between us when Dana stuck her head out the front door and yelled to Paul, "Get all of your clothes! I'm going to start laundry so I can get all of her new clothes washed!"

"She thinks she's the boss or something." He grumbled rolling his eyes. I chuckled at him as we started taking the bags from the back seat, into the house.

When all the clothes were in the house, we took them to the garage and then with all the dirty clothes, took the tags off and sorted them. Dana started one load that was mostly my new clothes, for tomorrow, and we left the washer to run.

Dana was helping me set up the things I had on the dresser, and offering advice on how to organize my clothes all while Paul hovered over us. I didn't mind so much, but I could tell it irked Dana. She looked over at Paul, who was leaning against the garage door next to us. "You should go to sleep, you've got patrol in the morning." She said calmly.

Paul looked like he might have skinned Dana alive if she wasn't his mother. I became concerned hearing it though. I didn't know his patrol schedule and he didn't tell me he had to be up early in the morning, but then again, Paul doesn't tell me the things that would make me worry about him.

"Its okay, go sleep, you'll need it." I said firmly.

I growled lowly for a moment before slumping down and kissing the top of my head. "Night," He murmured and turned to leave us.

"Ahem," Dana coughed.

Paul tensed and turned slightly, just to look at her over his shoulder. "Goodnight, mother," He ground out.

"Goodnight, son," She said sweetly.

Paul started grumbling to himself, but disappeared into his room before I could make out anything he was saying.

Dana and I did two loads of laundry and folded them together on the dining room table. It was mostly my new clothes with some of Dana's and even less of Paul's, but I think he just didn't have a lot of clothes. Dana let me use some of her closet to hang up some of my nicer clothes, even though it was practically overflowing with her own clothes. It was almost midnight when Dana came out of the garage, while I was cleaning up some of the mess we had made, and started locking up the house.

"Okay, that load is drying and I'll do more tomorrow. I'll see you in the morning." Dana said surely.

I nodded. "Goodnight," I said smiling.

"Night Sweetie," She said comfortingly and disappeared into her room.

When Dana had gone, I changed from the worn jeans and shirt I was wearing and threw them away, as per her orders, and took one of the shirts Paul had given to me to sleep in. The shirt was dark and the collar had been ripped off, but it was comfortable. And it still smelled like Paul.

I took the pillow and blanket from the hall closet and settled on the couch, ready to sleep. But I couldn't. I was just feet away from Paul, my protector, in a heated house, on a very comfortable couch with a fluffy pillow and thick blanket and I still couldn't get my mind to stop buzzing.

I always thought about a lot of things, but I because I was so tired from riding my bike around or working, I didn't really linger on it too much. So I was forced to lay on the couch, completely unable to sleep. I was keenly aware of every little noise that happened around, and inside the house and it only made me anxious.

The night I was taken by the vampire, I had left the basement to use the bathroom, with Dana's permission, and when I was walking back to from the bathroom, I heard the back door make the slightest sound before I was grabbed in a flash and taken to the woods. My sleeplessness was only fueled by the fact that the door was making that same noise again.

I stayed completely frozen on the couch, barely breathing. I didn't know if there was another vampire. Or something else. But whatever was causing the noise, made me extremely nervous.

My eyes were pried open wide, staring into the darkness of the room, waiting for something to happen when the wind, which was whistling around the house, sent something at the window in the living room, making me jump and yelp.

The sound I made wasn't very loud, but it must have been loud enough for Paul to here because he came sliding out of his room. I could only make out his silhouette in the darkness, but I could tell he was frazzled because he was breathing loudly.

Seeing him standing in the hallway, looking down at me gave me a sense of relief that I wasn't ready to let go of. I got off the couch, still holding the blanket, walked over to Paul, took his hand and lead him back to his room. It was probably the boldest I've ever been in my life, but I was still worried about a vampire coming out of nowhere and kidnapping me again. I had less of an issue being so forward with one of the few people I _knew_ could protect me.

After we got into his room, Paul shut the door while I lay down on his bed, with the blanket wrapped around me. He followed soon after, laying behind me and wrapping his arms securely around me.

"You okay?" He asked gruffly.

"I just felt like something was coming for me again." I answered as I reached out, lacing my fingers with the massive hand that was in front of me.

His arms tightened, clenching enough for me to see the lines of the muscles. "Nothing is coming near you while I'm around." He said lowly as the hand I wasn't holding, looped around my waist.

I couldn't have felt safer in Fort Knox than I did in Paul's arms. I had seen firsthand what he could do, what he could become. And even though he could still be hurt, it didn't make me feel less protected or believe him less able. It was nice to know that he was at least part human, because after what I had seen of vampires, even of Dr. Cullen, I couldn't help but feel completely inferior to them. I preferred to be as close to Paul's equal as possible.

I still wasn't very tired in Paul's freakishly warm embrace, even though I was a million-times calmer. It was nice to bask in the uninterrupted moment I had with him, not so much from outside interference, but from myself. I never had anyone care about me as much as Paul did, and it scared me a lot, because I wasn't sure if he'd always feel that way. Even with what they told me about imprinting, it was still a fear I couldn't quiet, after all, my own parents couldn't love me. So, I kept my guards up around him, as much as I could around the man that was literally my soul-mate. But with these continuous moments, catching me without my guard, it would soon be too hard for me to even pretend that I even needed to guard something.

All the thoughts of my fears and morbid possibilities made me sick to my stomach. I turned in Paul's arms, letting go of his hand so I could. I faced his bare, perfectly sculpted chest and buried my nose just under his collar bone. I felt his fingers slip through my hair as he let his face fall into the crook of my neck and he held me close to him. In that moment, even with all my paranoia and fear, I was the happiest I had been in all my life, just laying in the dark with the man-beast, that was Paul.

AN: Review!


	22. Helping A Brother

AN: Hello! I've got a sort of vacation, from a few responsibilities at least, so I'll be updating a lot. I want to get a lot of writing done while I can because I will be starting college in the fall and I doubt I will have a lot of time to write then. I hope you all enjoy the chapter! And thank you all for over 500 reviews!

Chapter Twenty Two

Helping a Brother

Do you know how well you sleep with your soul-mate in the crook of your arm? It's amazing, it's not even the first time and I can't stop gushing about it. I didn't like leaving her that morning to patrol but when I woke her up to tell her I was leaving she waved me off and buried deeper into the covers. I hated to admit that she would be okay without me.

On Sunday, I really had to share her with my mother. She had no work at all, and though all the shopping was done, Mom still found ways to take Anna away from me. I found out about the phone she got as well. I was impressed with my mother for that one. Anna carried it with her everywhere, even though she was with the only two people that even knew she had a phone. It was cute.

The next day I thought I'd have more time with her, and I was wrong.

"I think I'll see if Celia can come over today." Anna told me as she packed her backpack, getting ready to leave for school that morning.

"What?" I asked, sounding like a toddler that wasn't getting his way, because I wasn't.

"Embry's imprint," She said looking at me expectantly.

"Today?" I whined.

"Do you really want to make Embry suffer any longer?" She asked expectantly. I shrugged. "Let me rephrase that, do you really want to listen to him suffer?" She asked tiringly.

"No," I answered quickly.

"That's what I thought," She said, giving me a look. She put her bag on the floor and walked up to me. "Besides, I really need to get this project started." She said pleadingly.

"Fine," I grumbled, pouting.

She smiled triumphantly. "Thank you," She said sweetly. Just seeing her smile about it made me feel less upset about the fact that I was losing time with her. "See you later?" She asked hopefully.

I nodded silently. She smiled more and pushed herself onto her tip toes and kissed me while her arms wrapped around my torso. I buried my fingers into her hair and wrapped my arm around her waist to pull her closer and kissed her with all the passion I had for her. And damn, I had a lot of it.

She pulled away before the kiss got too heated and I never let her get to school, which I could see happening given thirty more seconds. She stared up me, breathless and eyes swimming with every emotion between lust and contemplation while I played with her hair. I really didn't want her to go.

"Bye," She murmured after a few seconds and walked to the door, but stopped as she opened it. "No stalking! Actually go to class today, I'll be back after school lets out." She said firmly.

"Scouts honor," I said holding up my hand.

She let out a long sigh. "Wrong hand," She said as she walked out the door.

I put my left hand down, feeling like a dumbass.

School sucked, as always. I wasn't panicking the whole time though, because I knew Anna had her own car and a cell phone. I was almost obsolete. I thought about texting her between periods, but decided not to. She usually took school pretty seriously, I don't know what she would do if I disrupted her in the middle of class.

I stuck around the school for lunch, since my house would be empty and would just smell like Anna, reminding me of the fact that she wasn't there. After I ate I knew what I had to do and I really didn't want to do it.

Embry was off with Quil and Seth, we might have been closer than blood, but I didn't associate with anyone at school. I walked up to the table and looked down at my idiot brothers.

"Who died?" Quil asked amazed.

I ignored the babysitter and looked at Embry. "Anna is bringing Celia over today." I said blankly.

Embry looked like he might cry.

"Finish your classes and then you can come over, but if you skip, I'm telling Sam." I told him seriously, with a pointed finger. Sam would ream his ass out if he skipped school.

"O-okay, I will." Embry stammered, nodding speedily.

"And for god's sake, no cologne, or I'll hose you down before you step foot in my house." I warned him. He's tried that a few times on the few dates he has had and whatever the hell he uses smells worse than us after a week in the woods with no rain, or shower.

"Yeah – I mean, no, I won't." He said quickly.

"Someone shoot me." I groaned and then stalked out of the lunch room and for my truck.

I would never do this if it wasn't for Anna. No one would ask me to do this if it wasn't for Anna. This was me being accommodating, as convoluted as it seemed. But Anna appreciated it so I didn't really give a damn how it looked to anyone.

I drove home and crashed on the couch that Anna had slept a little on, stretched all the way across it. It was where her scent was the strongest. It calmed me as much as it made me ache. While I laid there, thinking about how much of a nightmare it was going to be, having Embry here with the imprint he was practically avoiding, I realized, I would have to inform Sam before he found out after the fact.

I pulled out my cell and dialed his number quickly. It didn't take long for him to answer.

"Hello?" He asked, sounding preoccupied.

"Anna is brining Embry's imprint over after school." I told him, sounding as void of emotion as I did when I told Embry.

There was a pause on his end. He was digesting the information. "Does Embry know?" He asked concerned.

"Yeah, he'll be here too." I answered.

"Anna's idea?" He asked amused.

"Yep," I said with a long sigh.

"Just make sure he doesn't make a fool of himself." He said trying not to laugh.

"Why?" I asked insulted. I'm more likely to make him look like the fool.

"The faster he's comfortable around Celia, the more time you'll have with Anna." He said quickly and knowingly.

Truthfully, I couldn't see how that worked out, but I didn't care, all I heard was more time with Anna and that was enough for me. "I'll do my best." I said before I hung up. I didn't worry about offending Sam. He knew the conversation was over.

Sam already knew all the details about Anna's new living situation, he had patrol with me Sunday morning, so now he was focusing on getting Embry's imprint 'settled' into the pack, La Push and really just everything in general. And it wasn't going to be easy, seeing as how she was still pretty young and living with her family in another town. It was one of the few times that I actually felt bad for Embry. He got the short end of the stick.

It couldn't have been ten minutes after the last bell rang at the Rez school when Embry came barreling through my front door.

"Is she here?" He asked in a rush. At least he didn't have the damn cologne on.

I craned my neck to look at him. "Are you stupid? Do you see Anna or her car?" I asked angrily.

"No," He muttered, looking down at his feet.

"Then she's not here. Now sit down and shut up before I change my mind." I threatened, pointing to the other couch.

Embry followed the orders like I was his Alpha and sat down and didn't move. I had twenty minutes of pure silence before I heard the Challenger's engine rumble into the driveway behind my truck. Anna was back. I could smell Celia with her and I guessed Embry did too because he visibly stiffened.

A minute later Anna slipped into the house alone.

I jumped off the couch and rushed up to Anna, ignoring the fact that Embry now looked like he was having a stroke. "Hey," I said grinning down at her.

She smiled at me for a moment before she caught sight of Embry, sitting stiff as a board. "What's wrong with Embry?" She asked concerned.

"He's just following orders." I answered casually.

She didn't look any less concerned until Celia came in. Anna slapped on a smile and took a step closer to the younger, and shorter, girl. "Celia this is Paul," Anna introduced.

I reached my hand out to shake with her, and she did, her hand even smaller than Anna's. "So you're the boyfriend," She said amused.

Anna blushed fire-engine-red. "I didn't say-" She started quickly.

"I'm the boyfriend." I confirmed proudly as I pulled Anna to my side.

Anna looked pleased and defeated in the same moment and stayed tucked under my arm as she pointed to the statue that Embry had become. "That's Embry," She said casually. Embry didn't move and Celia looked at us confused. "Embry, meet Celia." Anna pressed.

It must have taken that dumb ass a moment to gather himself or something because it was five seconds before he moved. He stood from the couch and turned to look at Celia. He managed to give her a smile that didn't scare the daylights out of any of us. "I've seen you somewhere." Celia said as she looked up at Embry with her pretty face twisted in deep thought.

We all paled and started to panic. Had Embry hung around her house in his human form?

"Don't you go to the library a lot?" She asked curiously.

Embry coughed into his fist to gain some kind of composure and nodded. "Yeah, they have a better comic book selection than the one at the school." He explained sounding a lot calmer then he actually was. I was impressed.

Anna could tell that while Embry was going good at the moment, it wouldn't last long and she untangled herself from my grasp and led Celia to the dining room table. "Let's start the outline," She said quickly, digging through her bag for her books.

I walked into the living room, shoving Embry back down onto the couch before he did something stupid, like kissed the ground she walked on, and resumed my seat on the other couch, only sitting so I had a better view of Anna and Celia. "Tell me if the movie is too loud." I said as I turned on some random movie to fill the silence.

"It's fine," Anna said over her shoulder.

The movie was some cheesy action flick from the 80's. I tried to watch it, just to be nice and give Anna some privacy with Celia, but Embry started to get jumpy. And my jumpy, I mean, he was starting to buzz. His leg was bouncing at a speed that would have made a vampire sweat. He was beginning to flip out. Embry was not the silent type, the only way he could blow off steam was to talk and talk non-stop.

Only problem with that is, Embry can't keep any secrets when he is in babble mood. Seriously, we had a huge problem with it. Originally, his mom didn't want his step-dad to know the truth about us all but when Embry got nervous at a family dinner and started yammering on, he let slip that he ripped the head off a vampire just after lunch. Needless to say, his step-dad has since been read in on the shape-shifter program of La Push. I don't think damage control would be as effective with her. Or her massive father. So, I had to keep Embry calm, or at least quiet until he chilled the hell out.

I still didn't know how to do that. I just stayed on my toes, watching out for any signs that Embry was about to snap. We were both getting hungry, but I wasn't going to leave his side until calmed down. Anna and Celia were working away behind us. They actually worked pretty quickly, within an hour they were packing their bags up.

"Do you want to hang out for a while?" Anna offered awkwardly. She was trying to get Celia to stay longer for Embry's sake and probably trying to make a friend outside of La Push.

Celia actually looked like she was going to accept and that she wanted to. "I would, but my dad is expecting me home before dinner." She said, looking a bit upset. Embry started to shake because he could hear his imprint, unhappy. We didn't do too well when our imprints were less than perfectly content.

"Oh, okay, maybe another time." Anna said trying to mask her disappointment.

"Yeah," Celia agreed, with a small smile.

Anna smiled back and nodded before she looked over to Embry. "Embry, could you take her home, I have that errand I need to run for Dana." She asked sweetly. I only just managed to not look confused because there was nothing my mom asked her to do. She was trying to give Embry more time with his imprint.

"Sure!" Embry almost screamed, bounding off the couch and zipping to right behind Celia.

We all looked at him oddly. "I'll go with, I need to pick something up in Forks anyway." I said quickly. It was a complete lie, but I couldn't leave Embry alone with Celia, Sam would kill me if I was the reason he blabbed everything to his imprint out of the blue.

Anna understood without me having to explain anything. "Okay, I'll see you later then." She said, looking at Embry worryingly.

I leaned down and kissed her forehead, as a sort of promise to be back as soon as possible, and left with Embry and Celia.

Embry already had the keys to my truck in his hands and took the drivers seat, under the pretense it was his vehicle. Celia sat in the middle without a fight and I took the passenger seat. That bastard owed me for this.

"How long have you lived in Forks?" He asked, buzzing like a fly.

"What makes you think I haven't always lived here?" Celia asked blankly, staring ahead at the road.

"You're too tan." Embry answered quickly.

She huffed, knowing she was trapped. "Almost three months." She told him, sounding irritated. I couldn't blame her.

"How do you like it?" Embry asked excited.

"Its okay, I guess." She answered indifferently.

"So, where do you live anyway?" I asked before Embry forgot and drove to her place without asking. And before he asked another stupid question

Celia directed us to the apartment, and Embry at least managed to play dumb for the most part. Not that it was hard or anything, he was already kind of dumb. Embry stopped in front of the building and got out quickly, so she would get out on his side. She looked at him strangely as he held the door open for her and beckoned her out. I dropped my face into my hands.

"Thanks for the ride," She said awkwardly.

"See you at the library sometime." Embry told her, sounding just like the creepy stalker we tried to avoid sounding like.

"Yeah, sure," She said suspiciously then almost ran into the building.

Embry was positively beaming as he got back in the truck.

"Smooth," I said flatly as he started driving back to La Push.

"It's something." He said smiling like an idiot.

"Barely," I grumbled.

Embry got back to my house quickly enough, but when we got there he dashed out of the truck and into the house. I ran after him.

Inside he already had Anna in a hug, holding her a foot off the ground. "Thank you!" He cried.

Anna was smiling and giggling, he was safe from all of my wrath and jealousy. "You're welcome," She said breathlessly.

After two whole minutes of hugging and giggling, I had to put a stop to it. "Put my imprint down." I said with a deadly, low growl.

Embry almost dropped Anna instantly and looked at me bashfully. "Sorry," He muttered, still smiling.

I put my hands on Anna's shoulders possessively when she stumbled out of his hold. "It's okay," She said still giggling. "I'll let you know when she comes over again," She told Embry with a smile.

Embry went to hug her again and I glared at him over her head. "Thank you, again." He said calmly as he moved for the door.

"Bye," She said waving as he walked out of the door.

When Embry had disappeared down the street, I looked down at her as she turned to face me.

"Were you planning that all along?" I asked curiously. It did all fall together pretty well.

"Kind of," She said unsure.

"That's pretty genius." I told her, impressed.

"Thanks," She said blushing. I admired the shades of red her cheeks were turning while she had another question for me. "Do you have any homework?" She asked confused.

"Probably," I said shrugging.

"Are you going to do it?" She asked pointedly.

"Before Friday," I answered grinning widely.

She laughed a little and shook her head. She walked back to the table and took a different book, and notebook from her bag and sat down. My procrastination wasn't going to stop her from working. I hadn't had anytime with her all day and now she was back to working and I was starving. I was going to get my book and do my homework anyway, but she looked up at me with her big, knowing, blue-brown eyes.

"Can you make me a PB&J when you get your food?" She asked sweetly.

My stomach was pleased to hear the word food, so I went to the kitchen and tossed some container full of leftovers into the microwave and nuked them for a minute while I made her sandwich.

I was glad my mother was working late that night because after Anna finished her work I had her all to myself without any more interruptions. Well, almost. Anna had taken it upon herself to clean the kitchen and continue the laundry. I managed to get her to chill on the couch with me in between loads and helped her fold the clothes.

Mom came home right about the time when Anna started yawning every five minutes. My mother said goodnight to us and went into her room. By eleven the laundry was done for the night, the house was clean because my imprint couldn't sit still and we were back on the couch. She was tucked between me and the couch and she was already in her pajama's and I was down to my shorts. When whatever we were watching ended, I grabbed the remote and turned the TV off and got ready to go to my room when Anna stopped me.

"You can stay if you want." She whispered to me, peering up at me through her splayed hair.

I did not have to be told twice. I took the blanket off the back of the couch and threw it over her, incase my body heat wasn't enough for her and pulled her as close as possible and closed my eyes.

AN: Review!


	23. Natural Progression

AN: Since I haven't updated in a while, I thought I'd give you all a huge chapter. Its like eleven pages long in my document, so huge is a good word for it. Training is long. And its boring. I hope to get more done on the weekends. But, until then, here is what I offer you! Enjoy! Oh, if you see any issues, let me know I rushed this out a little.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Natural Progression

It was the morning of my second weekend living with my imprint. Anna was still doing good, she worked just as much as she had before and I hated it because she didn't want me following her to work. And I couldn't lie to her so either had to do what she told me or tell her what I did. Other than all of that, I did alright. Mom had spent most of the week working and Celia had been over the day before. Embry wasn't as much of a fool as before, but the damage had been done because Celia would always look at him with raised brow when ever he spoke.

Sleeping situations had become confusing. Some nights, Anna was so tired she fell right asleep and didn't wake up again until she had to get up for school. Other nights, she couldn't even fall asleep on the couch without me. I just left it up to her, unless there were circumstances on my end. Like a blood-sucker got too close, or I felt she might be threatened, or just because sleeping without her would be too difficult for me.

Stretching in my arms, after a long and peaceful night of sleep, Anna turned to look up at me. "What time is it?" She asked as she tried to stifle a yawn.

"Almost eight," I answered as I brushed her hair out of her face.

"We should get up, your mom said she needed our help with something today." She said urgently.

"Don't make me." I groaned.

"Okay, I won't." She said then rolled out of bed, and my arms, and stretched again, her arms reaching for the ceiling as she stood on the balls of her feet. She was in one of my few shirts, as she had taken to using them to sleep in, and it just barely covered her bottom while she stretched, giving me the perfect view of her legs while they looked miles long.

I growled lowly as I watched her walk out of my room and into the bathroom. God, my imprint is such a fuckin' tease.

I got out of bed, though. My heart was beating too fast for me to stay in bed. I put real clothes on to do whatever my mom wanted us to do, real clothes being jeans, a t-shirt and a jacket. The leather jacket had belonged to Billy and when he dug it out to give it to Jake, it didn't fit so it was passed through the pack to see who it would fit. It got through Sam, Embry, Quil and Jared before it got to me but it fit perfectly, so I didn't let it go. I never had to wear it, because of my body heat, but to keep from getting too many looks outside of the Rez, I wore it.

When I left my room Anna was walking out of the bathroom. She was wearing one of the dresses my mother bought for her, which made me guess my mother asked her to wear it. The dress was purple and came to her knees and it was like that specific shade was meant to make her look like a goddamn goddess or something. Her skin had a glow to it, her hair looked brighter and her eyes were more brilliant than ever.

"Do you like it?" She asked nervously, tucking her hair behind her ears and biting her lip.

"Yeah," I said breathlessly.

"Oh Anna you look so pretty!" Mom cooed as she came from the kitchen. I growled a little bit. "Don't forget to wear the leggings though, its cold and I don't want you to get sick, Paul will throw a fit if you do." She added with a smug look before going back into the kitchen.

After Anna put on the black leggings, my old hoodie and her new shoes, we ate breakfast and then Mom had us pile in the car. For some reason she had me drive and Anna sit up front, but it made more sense when she started spreading papers all over the back seat.

"Where are we going?" I asked after I turned the car on. I was really looking at Anna as she picked at the hem of her dress. She looked nervous, but not uncomfortable.

Mom glanced up from the middle seat where the papers where completely scattered around her. "Down-town Seattle." She answered calmly.

I really didn't like that answer. I hated trying to find parking. I hated all the people. I hated all the noise. And I knew I was going to hate all the men looking at my imprint. I would be lucky if I left the city without a police chase. Anna, however, did perk up when my mom answered. "I've never been there." She told us.

"You will love it." Mom told her surely.

I started pulling out of the driveway, driving toward the highway, but all my questions weren't answered. "What are we doing?" I asked annoyed.

"You two are going to help me find my apartment." Mom said cheerily.

Of all the things she could have had planned in Seattle, that was probably the least painful, so I just shrugged and continued on.

"I thought you weren't moving until after Christmas." Anna said confused. I thought the same thing, but my mother liked to do things backwards so I tried not to question too much, in order to keep the little bit of sanity that I had.

"Well, that is the plan, but if I can find a place out there before then, I can start as soon as possible." Mom explained.

Reality slapped me across the face in that second. Before it was just a distant plan that my mom would be leaving, but now, it was the near future. The really near future. Anna looked at me and touched the hand that was resting on the shifter. It made me feel better, not all the way, but enough.

"Besides, it's a tough market out there, I need to be ahead of the game." Mom told us through the silence.

I still didn't feel any better about it.

Driving to Seattle isn't something that I would call fun, or anything less than torture really. Its hours away, and you have to deal with all the traffic and idiot drivers. Mom was too busy with the papers, which I learned where printouts of apartment listings when my curiosity got the best of me, to care so it didn't bother her. But Anna seemed to enjoy the ride, in some strange way. Whenever my road rage started acting up she would just touch my arm or even say my name in that chiding way and I calmed down instantly.

When we did finally get there, Mom directed me to the realtor's office, where there was free parking, and we met her real-estate agent in the lobby.

"Sally!" I groaned the minute my mom cried out. Sally was her college friend and that woman irritated me since before I can remember. I clutched Anna closer to me as we followed my mother.

Sally was just a little taller than my mom, with long bleach blonde hair and scary blue eyes. She was also limping on crutches. "Dana!" She called back with her squealing voice.

"Oh no, what happened?" Mom asked sadly.

"Silly accident with my four-year-old, I won't be able to take you to the listings." Sally answered with a frown. I almost started cheering. "My assistant Corrine can take you, she has all of the codes and she knows exactly where I was going to take you." She said, looking over her shoulder at the short, professional looking, brunette who smiled at us.

"Okay, I hope you feel better." Mom told her, still looking like someone had just announced that Christmas was cancelled.

"Good luck!" Sally called as we all left the lobby, into the cold, October weather. I kept Anna close to me, to try and shield her from the bitter wind and she stayed just as close.

"Let's start with farthest listing, so we can work our way back to the office." Corrine offered with a smile.

We all agreed and made our way to the first apartment. Corrine got us to the first place in about twenty-five minutes. Mom loved the building, and how close it was to… Whatever, I really wasn't paying attention. A group of college guys had just come out of the building and where tripping at the sight of Anna. I scowled at all of them and held her closer to me. Anna was looking at the façade of the building and didn't notice anything.

We looked at five apartments in two hours and none of them satisfied my mother's long list of demands. The first one had too much carpet. The second one's bedrooms were too small. The third one was on the first floor. The fourth one's ceilings were too low. The fifth one didn't have a bath tub.

When we got to the sixth one, two blocks away from the real-estate office and three blocks away from the building that held my mothers new job, was in an old building that had shops surrounding it an a movie theater a stone's throw away. Mom at least walked in with a smile.

The building had an elevator, which was a little more updated that the building itself, that was the size of my room. The apartment was on the fifth floor and had half the floor. Mom was smiling even more.

Outside of the elevator was a wide hallway that ended with a huge window on each ends with just two doors placed on opposite ends of the hall. Corrine took us to the door to the right and let us in and my mom started squealing like a six-year-old girl.

There was a small entrance, with a door that was probably a coat closet, but my mother didn't care about that. From the foyer was a large room with three huge windows that looked out onto Seattle. The room had to be a combination of the living and dining room because the kitchen was tucked away to the right of the room. There was a door next to the kitchen, which we could see was a bathroom because the door was open and two other doors on the opposite ends of the front room. I guessed they were bedrooms.

Corrine started spewing off random facts about the house and Anna walked to one of the windows in the front room.

I followed her and stood behind her and a little to her side. "So, how do you like the city so far?" I asked indifferently, crossing my arms over my chest.

She turned to look at me with a bright smile. "It's an amazing place." She gushed.

It stung a little to hear that. My mom was picking up and leaving La Push for this place and now Anna was falling all over it. I just can't win.

"But I don't think I could live here. It's too busy. I'd like to visit your mom here, though." She added a few seconds later with a sure nod.

That perked me up. "Looks like that will happen sooner rather than later, she'll probably die of a broken heart if she doesn't buy this place." I scoffed, nodding toward Mom.

Anna looked at my mother. "She does look really happy here." She noted. I slumped again. "Are you sad she's moving?" She asked quietly.

"Yes and no." I answered with a sigh. "Its not like she's moving to the other side of the world, I'll probably see her enough to still be sick of her." I said trying to make it sound like it could possibly be the truth.

Anna chuckled. "You'll miss her a lot." She said knowingly.

I glanced over my shoulder to look at my mom, who was fussing over the pantry in the kitchen. "Yeah," I admitted with a tight throat.

Anna fit herself to my side and kissed my neck, since that was as close as she could get to my face without standing on her tip toes. I wrapped my arms around her to hold her close and she slipped her arms under my jacket and hugged me back. With the dull, but constant ache that was taking over my heart, it felt a lot better to be comforted by my other woman. I'm still having the internal struggle as to who is first between my mom and Anna.

"When can I put in an offer?" Mom squealed from behind us.

Anna detached from me a little, enough to look at my mom. "Don't you want to see the other places?" She asked confused.

"Oh no, when you find a place this good, you grab it before it goes." Mom said quickly.

"I can get to work on that right now." Corrine said as she took her phone and started making phone calls.

"Excellent!" Mom cheered happily. "So, what do you think?" She asked Anna.

Anna wound herself closer to me and rested her head on my chest. "It's great." She said surely.

"Good, because that second room will be for you two when you come to visit and yes, you are visiting me. I spent hours in labor before you _tore_ through my birth canal boy, you'll visit me when I tell you to." She told me sternly. Yeah, Mom is my number one woman, just for that fact. You can't tell the woman who had seven stitches _down there_ after she pushed you out, that she's number two, I'd be killed for that.

Anna laughed. "No problem."

"How about we plan for Christmas to be here, and I'll let you have New Year's to yourselves." Mom said like she had come up with the best idea since sliced bread.

"Gee, thanks." I grumbled. I always loved having choices in these matters…

"I like that." Anna said smiling.

"That reminds me, don't make any plans for the weekend before Thanksgiving, there is a party I want you both to go to." She told us with a pointed finger.

"Is Kevin going to be there?" I asked with a long snarl.

Mom took in a deep breath and shook her head. "No, he moved to New York." She answered coolly.

"I'm sorry." Anna said quickly, looking genuinely worried.

"Don't be. We both knew that if our careers, or family matters, got in the way then what we had would fall to the way-side. I'm not going to say it hasn't affected me. But I've accepted it." She explained to Anna maturely then looked at me with a glare. "Please don't start cheering." She said lowly. I had to refrain myself from smiling.

Corrine walked up to us, holding the phone to her chest and talked to us in a quiet voice. "I just got a hold of the other realtor and the owner has some conditions." She told my mother.

"Well, by all means, let's start this war." Mom said cracking her knuckles. Corrine nodded and walked to the kitchen counter, where she had all of the papers spread across it. "Why don't you two go out and enjoy the city, this will take a while, I'll call when we're done." Mom told us, nodding toward the door.

"If you're sure." Anna said cautiously.

"I don't even want to be here, I won't make you do it." Mom said waving us out.

"Okay," Anna conceded.

"Have fun!" Mom called out as I pulled Anna out of the apartment.

We took the elevator back down to the lobby, where it was completely empty and out onto the streets of Seattle. Once again, every passing man was looking at Anna. She didn't notice, I don't know how, all I could see was them leering at her. And yes, they were leering. There eyes would have been popped out of their sockets if Anna had become uncomfortable in anyway, but she didn't notice anything but the city and me. That was an ego boost, I'll admit.

"Now where?" I asked, holding her near me.

She pulled my hoodie tighter around her to try and block the cold. "Your mom kept talking about Pike's Place, we can start there." She answered with a small shrug.

I was beginning to think she had accepted the fact that I was her personal slave and any opinion I might have revolved solely around her happiness because she was assuming her choice was the final say in the matter more and more now. It made things a little easier that way.

It's not very hard to find Pike's Place since all of the streets literally lead down to it. Three blocks away, rain started to spit over us. I took my jacket off in a flash and had it covering Anna before more than two drops had hit her. She looked up at me with laughing eyes as I rushed her as quickly as I could to the cover of the market. I know she's been in the rain a lot, but that doesn't mean I'm going to let her get wet, or cold, while I'm around.

"Busy place," Anna muttered as she took in the bustling venue.

"Want to go somewhere else?" I offered. I really didn't give a shit about the place and there were a few places close by that could house us from the rain that weren't as packed.

"I'd rather stay dry for the moment." She said surely and started walking through the crowds.

I didn't have to be in the public market for long to know I didn't like it. Anna seemed indifferent for the most part. There were some polite people, but they were mostly rude, to her at least. They weren't very smart, seeing me walking directly behind her should have told them not to fuck with the small girl that I had my hands all over, but as soon as I moved in front of her, no one touched me or her. We made our way down to the lower levels of the market, where it was less crowded.

"It's a little crowded, but I like it, for the most part." Anna said, almost to herself, as we made our way outside from the lower levels of the market.

I just grumbled under my breath.

"You don't like the city, do you?" She asked, already knowing the answer.

I shook my head. "Too many people," I said surely.

There was a bench that was empty that over looked Puget Sound and I sat on it, pulling Anna with me, before anyone else did to give us some kind of privacy. It wasn't very hard for me to stretch out enough to take up the entire bench except for a little spot for Anna to sit. She settled next to me and looked out at the water.

Anna rested her head on my shoulder but she had to sit awkwardly to do it, so I took her legs and moved them to lay across mine. She blushed and wrapped her arms around me and buried her face in my shoulder. I couldn't help but just grin and hold her close.

There were people walking past us, and other sitting near us, and they all looked at us with that raised brow. Her skin was a glaring contrast to mine, yet again, but I didn't really care about that. The only thing that mattered was that she was healthy and happy. The little skin she was showing had a pink tint to it from being so warm. She was wearing a hoodie, my jacket and was in close contact to someone whose ambient body temp was 108 degrees. I don't think she could be less than cold.

I liked this better than walking. I didn't have to worry about someone knocking her over here, or some dumbass trying to hit on her. She was all mine, just sitting on the bench. I didn't have to share her with anyone, including my mother. And as soon as my mother moved out, I'd have her entirely to myself. Until Embry moved in.

For the past few weeks, that was a common thought on his mind. Of course, since I was usually patrolling with him, I had to hear it all. His parents had fully agreed with Sam and his dad, step-dad really but Embry didn't like to think of him that way, even got him the summer job. But, as always, Mr. Sensitive was worried about leaving home, even if it was just a mile and a half away.

"I should probably tell you this now." I started slowly, looking down at Anna as she craned her head back to look at me. "As soon as school ends Embry will be moving in with us." I told her coolly.

"Really?" She asked confused.

"He's old enough, and besides, the kid needs help, he still can't hold a decent conversation with his imprint for God's sake." I complained.

"I'm okay with that, I like Embry." She said with a smile.

I really didn't like that answer. "You can have my mom's room when she moves and Embry could take the couch." I offered.

"Or we could take your mom's room and Embry could have your room." She countered sheepishly, biting her lip.

I'll admit I wasn't expecting her to say that. I was hoping, yes, but I didn't think she actually would. I was very pleased to hear that, but my mouth still dropped when I did.

"Don't look so shocked, we hardly ever sleep apart anyway." She pointed out, putting her head on my shoulder again. She was right. "We're not taking your bed, though." She said firmly.

"What's wrong with my bed?" I asked, almost insulted. She slept perfectly well in that bed.

"Its about to fall to bits and those springs have been digging into my side." She said touching her hips.

I would have incinerated the bed for making her sneeze, now I'm liable to throw the damn thing out the window. "Alright, but we aren't using my mother's bed either." I said, forcing myself not to shudder. I wasn't going to sleep in the same bed that my mother shared with her liaisons. I'd rather swim out into the middle of the ocean and see how fast sharks could tear me to bits.

I heard ringing a second later and Anna was scrambling for her cell phone in the pocket of her hoodie. The front screen had a picture of my mother smiling widely.

"Speak of the devil." I muttered.

Anna answered and talked to Mom for a little while. Really it was my mother doing the talking and Anna just listening or agreeing.

"She got the seller to agree to her price and terms, so she's heading back to the office with Corrine." Anna told me when she closed her phone and put it back in her pocket.

I growled a little. I didn't want to move from the spot, even if it was in the middle of the city I really hated. "That's got to be a record, even for my mother." I grumbled.

Anna kissed my cheek, climbed off my lap and held her hand out to me. I sighed and took her hand as I stood. She is the only woman, my mother included, that I will hold hands with in public. Call me whipped or whatever, she is the whole and entire reason for my existence, if she wants to hold hands, I'm holding her hand.

I knew how to get back to the office just because I could follow my own scent back but the journey back was slow. It was mostly hills and I liked the silence I had with Anna. We only had to walk into the lobby to find my mother.

"What took you slow pokes so long?" She asked with her hands on her hips.

"Can we just leave now?" I asked impatiently.

"Yes, but I'm driving because there is somewhere I want to go before we go home." She said taking the keys from my hand.

"Is there food?" I demanded. We hadn't had lunch yet and my stomach was about to kill if it didn't get food.

"Yes, and I promise to feed the both of you." Mom answered, rolling her eyes as she pushed us back out the door and toward the car.

I sat up front, as per my mothers orders and Anna sat in the back, cuddled in my jacket, making small talk with my mother. We were on the road for less than an hour when I saw it. That gigantic blue and yellow building that haunted my dreams.

"Seriously?" I yelled as she turned into the parking lot.

She grinned as we passed the IKEA sign. "I told you there would be food, and food there is." She said smartly.

"What is this place?" Anna asked confused.

"A furniture store, it's my favorite." Mom told her, sounding like a kid heading to a candy store with a hundred dollar bill.

"Yeah, it's her favorite because she likes to make me put all of the shit together." I spat sourly, slouching in my seat.

"Hush or you'll be carrying it all home." She said still smiling as she started her quest for a parking spot.

Mom was in heaven the minute we walked into the place. I was not. Anna was indifferent as always. We walked straight to the food court, well, really I herded Mom and Anna to the food before we started looking at all of the show-room. After I stuffed my face with three full meals I let my mother drag me around.

An hour into walking around the damn place, even with Anna leaning on me, I snapped. It was just too much. I couldn't take it.

"Nothing has changed from the last time we were here!" I yelled as my mother examined a dresser for the fifth time.

"Would you stop being so dramatic, please?" Mom asked quietly, not even caring that I yelled even though everyone in a twenty foot radius jumped.

"Can we look at beds?" Anna asked, ignoring my tantrum.

Mom quickly popped up and away from the dresser to look at Anna. "Sure!" She cried happily.

"Oh God no." I groaned while I was pulled away.

The next two hours were a nightmare. Mom wanted a new bed. Anna wanted a new bed. Four-door sedans do not have the room to haul two queen sized beds. Mom had picked out her bed, opting to keep the box spring and bed frame she already had, but Anna wanted new everything. We had everything on a cart, waiting just past the registers for Mom to finish arguing with the delivery desk in the heat, when a familiar voice came from behind us.

"Anna?"

Anna spun and so did I, ready to pounce when I saw Celia. Out of instinct I took a little step back. Embry might bug me, but I couldn't hurt his imprint any more than my own. It was just as written into my DNA to protect her as it was to protect Anna. "Hi, Celia." She said surprised. "What are you doing here?" She asked confused.

"My dad and my godfather are looking for some stuff for the kitchen and their rooms. You?" Celia said sounding a little bored.

Anna rested her hand on the stack of beds, box springs and bed frames. "Beds," She answered with a sigh.

We had been alone for a second or two when Mom stormed up with angry eyes and clenched fists and started ranting.

"I swear, those crazy people want me to pay out the ass to have these shipped to the house and they might not even be able to take it to La Push!" Mom yelled frustrated until she saw Celia and then stopped dead in her tracks and coughed awkwardly. "Oh, hello," She tried to say politely.

"Hi," Celia said with a wave.

"Dana, this is Celia, we go to school together." Anna said

"Nice to meet you, so sorry you had to see my little melt down." Mom said trying to recover from losing her cool in front of someone new.

"Nothing I haven't already heard." Celia said with a shrug.

After the chuckles died down we heard a deep voice boom near us, one I recognized from time shared in Embry's mind. "Celia!"

I could see the Marine, Celia's father coming right for us from outside, looking flustered with a shorter man that was wiry, but I had a strong feeling he was as powerful as the man at his side. Of course, I had to blink a few times when I saw him holding something that was pink, which was actually an infant. I guessed it was Celia's baby sister.

Celia, a brave girl, just rolled her eyes and turned to face the man that even made me think twice about crossing him. "Dad, seriously, I told you I was coming over here, don't panic so much." She said tiringly. "This is Anna, her boyfriend Paul and his mom Dana. I told you about them." She introduced coolly.

The Marine looked at us all and then let out a breath and relaxed at the sight of us. I don't know why, if I saw my daughter hanging out around us I'd probably freak out. "John Stefano." He told us stiffly.

"Nice to meet you." Mom said holding out her hand. He obliged her before looking down at his daughter.

"We need to go." John said to Celia.

"Do we have extra room in the truck?" Celia asked casually.

John's brow shot up. "Yeah, why?" He asked confused.

I was convinced there was a school of manipulation that women went to and my mother had to be the principle and Celia was probably the star pupil. She got her dad and her godfather, whose name I later learned was Adam, to rearrange the bed of the massive F-350 to fit the beds, box sting and bed frame. Oh, and guess who got to help them? Yeah, I did. Mom snapped and pointed her fingers as they started moving things out of the truck, and my childhood training told me to help.

Celia had been holding her sister for two seconds when my mother asked to hold her. There hadn't been a baby around in a while and my mother was cooing all over her within seconds. She was in heaven; a baby to hold, Anna to dress up and me to be ordered around.

We finished wedging in the last of the boxes and we were good to go. John took his youngest daughter back, which my mother pouted about for a little while, and we all went back to our respective vehicles. Mom drove again and followed their truck to the highway. I sat in the back with Anna because Mom had dumped her purse out on the passenger seat.

"He's a very nice man." Mom said once we had been on the road for a while.

"Mom, don't even." I begged.

"What? I can't compliment him." Mom asked aghast.

"He wasn't nice. He was as grumpy as me. You were referring to his _ass_ets." I snapped.

"Those were nice too." Mom said smirking a little.

"You are paying for all of my therapy." I groaned.

The ride was just as long back but Anna had fallen asleep on my shoulder. I didn't feel the urge to rage with her looking so peaceful on my shoulder. When we did get home, Anna woke up as soon as the car stopped, while Mom dashed out to help direct John to back into the driveway. Mom opened the garage door while Anna went inside to start getting my bed ready to be tossed out while I helped John move everything into the garage. Truthfully, I didn't need the help and I didn't really think he did either.

When we had everything inside, Mom and Anna thanked him and I did too. The man might have been played by his daughter, but he still helped. Celia waved at us as the truck drove by and when it disappeared toward Forks we went to work. I tossed my bed to the side of the road, with everything else but before we started on building the bed frame, Anna insisted on cleaning my room. Mom watched smugly as we did. After years of me giving her lip for cleaning my room, Anna was forcing me to and I couldn't say no to her.

So by the end of the night, I had a new bed with a new bed frame that I didn't chose and had to put together, I cleaned my room when I had refused almost all my life to do it and I even went into Seattle willingly. Its safe to say the world is close to ending.

Mom made a quick dinner and we went straight to bed after. We were all too tired for anything else. Anna went to the bathroom when she finished cleaning it with Mom and I and I went to my room. Sitting dead in the middle of my room was my new bed. It was a queen bed and it was massive. The bed frame was just a basic frame with dark wood, nothing fancy or too girly. I stripped down to my boxers and fell on the bed, expecting all the lumps from my old bed and that isn't what I got. Any mixed feelings I had about tossing that old piece of crap were gone the minute my body connected to the bed. It surpassed amazingly comfortable.

I had been on the bed for a few minutes when I heard my door open and close and Anna tip-toe across my room and crawl around me. She rested her head next to me and giggled a little.

"Do you like it?" She asked me quietly.

I pulled my face out of the bed and looked at Anna. "Maybe," I mumbled.

Anna sighed and rolled her eyes a little, slipping under the covers and snuggled next to me. Feeling even more content, I pulled her toward me and settled easily into our new bed.

"So does this mean your not sleeping on the couch any more?" I asked sleepily.

She sighed. "Maybe." She said smiling a little.

"Cute," I chuckled as I buried my face in her hair.

She laughed with me for a moment before she sighed again, this time with contentment. "I had fun today." She said happily.

"It was okay." I mumbled against her hair.

"Don't worry, you've got her for a while yet." She said knowingly.

"How do you always know what I'm thinking about?" I asked confused.

She shook her head and propped herself up on her elbow so she could look down at me. "I don't always know what you're thinking about. But I know what you're feeling." She told me in the simplest tone. I didn't doubt what she said. If there was anyone in the world that I would let into my head or my heart, it was would be her. What the hell am I saying, she doesn't need to be let in since she already owns the place…

I laced my fingers through her hair and pulled her toward me so I could kiss her for being so damn smart. She giggled against my lips before she slipped back down to my side and tried to hide her blushing face. I didn't have to pull her close to me, she was already fully pressed against me, all I had to do was put my arms around her and close my eyes. Bad day or good day, it didn't matter because all I needed to make it worth it was already lying next to me. It was a good day.

AN: Review!


	24. Wrong Timing

AN: WARNING! Smut ahead! I have to change the rating now. :P Thank you all for your patiences with me, with work and everything. Work is, well work. But I am still staying with all of my stories. I will finish them, I promise! Please enjoy the new chapter and thanks everyone for all the reviews!

Chapter Twenty Four

Wrong Timing

It only took my mother less than three weeks to close on the apartment. I came back home from picking Anna up from work to see a few boxes around the house and Mom with a giant smile on her face. I hate packing. Anna helped as much as I let her. I didn't really like the thought of her trying to haul huge boxes around. Mom also got the pack to help. Emily ended up organizing a huge weekend party just to get Mom packed and ready to move the weekend after Thanksgiving. And, of course, she invited the Jake and the Cullen's and they, of course, agreed to come.

Quil was the poor soul that broke the news to me. We were packing up all of her things from the garage when he opened his mouth.

"Claire's really excited to see Nessie tonight." Quil spewed as he taped a box shut.

I nearly crushed the box I had in my hands. "What?" I yelled.

"Uh, Nessie and the C-Cullen's are coming." Quil sputtered.

I dropped the box and walked up to him, grabbing his shirt and holding him off the ground. "Says who?" I bellowed, shaking Quil.

"My wife," Sam said lowly as he walked into the garage.

I swallowed, dropping Quil. That was pretty damn good answer. "Why are they coming?" I snarled, still angry that it was happening.

"Because your mother likes them." Sam countered.

"Don't fucking remind me." I growled.

"They were going to meet her at some point." Sam pointed out, seriously. He didn't like the thought of the Cullen's around our family or imprints.

"Has anyone told her?" I asked painfully. I didn't want to do this, but there was no denying Emily anything.

"No," Sam said shaking his head, glancing over his shoulder to the house were Anna was inside.

"Good," I snapped, leaving Sam and Quil in the garage.

Inside the house there were a lot of people packing whatever my mother had marked as hers. I went through the house and found Anna in the bathroom with two boxes, packing my mothers abundance of crap. I walked in and close the door, locking it behind me.

She glanced over at me confused and put the towel she was folding in a box. "Paul, what's wrong?" She asked confused.

I leaned against the counter. "The Cullen's are coming to the party," I said sourly.

"Who?" She asked, walking around the boxes to stand in front of me.

I slipped my arm around her waist and pulled her close to me, brushing her hear behind her ears and holding the side of her face. "Remember Carlisle?" I asked quietly.

"He helped you recover." She said with a nod.

"Yeah, he and his family are coming." I told her gruffly, watching her eyes widen. "And they're all blood-suckers." I said, confirming the scared look in her eyes.

"Oh," She chirped, shifting uncomfortably.

"If you're not comfortable, they don't have to come." I told her seriously. I would escort them out myself whether they liked it or not. My imprint was more important and after everything she had been through, if she didn't want to look at another vampire again, there wasn't going to be another vampire in her line of vision.

"No-no, I'll be fine." She stammered, looking down.

"You're not convincing me." I sighed, holding her chin and making her look up at me.

"I'm not convincing myself." She mumbled.

I gripped her, holding her closer to me.

"I'm sorry, it's just that ever since the attack, just the thought of being around another vampire makes me jumpy." She said, shaking under my hands. "It wasn't so bad with Dr. Cullen because Sam wouldn't let me be alone with him, so there was always someone standing between us, but with more of them?" She shuddered a little and laid her cheek on my chest.

I wrapped my arms around her, completely ready to protect her from every one of her fears. "You don't have to be sorry." I swore.

She pressed herself as close to me as possible, slipping her arms around me. "I'll be okay," She said still sounding quiet.

"They don't have to come." I pressed.

"No, its okay, I need to get over this at some point in my life. I don't want to be afraid of them forever." She said surely.

"Baby, they kill people. That's what they do, half the time I'm afraid of them hurting you." I said grabbing her shoulders, trying to get her to understand that they only wanted the blood in her veins and dammit, I almost wanted her to be scared because then she'd avoid these things with her life.

"But, they're like Carlisle, right?" She asked unsure.

"Doesn't matter, they are vampires, they are supposed to drain people dry!" I yelled, getting more and more frustrated.

"Paul," She muttered, looking guilty, making be stop and take heavy breaths. "I need to do this, for me." She whispered, pressing her hands on my lower stomach, watching her fingers as they toyed with the holes in the fabric. "I don't want to be afraid forever."

I nearly put a hole through the wall next to me. She didn't have to face her fears, because I'm supposed to stand between her and anything she'd ever be afraid of. But at the same time, forming the word no to say to her was impossible. If she wanted to do this, the only thing I could do was keep myself between her and any sparkling-fuckers.

I couldn't look at her, because all I saw was her throat wide open with her blood spilling everywhere and three shades paler than she normally was and one of the damn Cullen's gnawing at her flesh. I nearly threw up.

"Paul, look at me please." She asked with her small voice that I hadn't heard in a while and that I never wanted hear. I looked into her eyes and tried not to see them as glassy and dead, but alive and concerned. "I'm not going to let them hurt me, and if I get too uncomfortable, I'll let you take me somewhere else and I hope if one of them comes after me you'll turn them into a pile of dust." She said hopefully, with a playful gleam to her eye.

What I would do to them would turn them into nothing if anyone of them tried to come at her. I dug my fingers in her hair and kissed her hard, harder than I ever had, and harder than I should, but she knew how to control me. She gripped my abs and gasped against my lips. I pulled away, barely, and rested my forehead on hers, breathing heavily. "I'll be dead on the ground before they get within a foot of you." I promised.

"Can you avoid dying, please?" She asked with worried eyes.

"Should be easy enough with the rest of the pack." I said with a grin, trying to get her to relax.

She still looked panicked, but nodded and stepped closer to me. "Okay," She said, slightly convinced.

I ginned a little more and turned quickly, lifting her up to sit on the counter and leaning my head down to kiss her. She squeaked a little but moved her lips against mine and brought her legs around my waist and I nearly lost it. Just feeling her around me almost so entirely made electricity surge through my entire body and I grabbed her thighs, pulling her so close to me there wasn't even air between us.

She was still playing with the ends of my shirt and tugged at it until I let her pull it over my head and throw it into the corner. I heard her suck in breath as her fingers spread across my chest and I could only grin more. Sure, I didn't work for the body, but dammit, I got cocky thinking about how much she loved it.

Anna wrapped her arms around my torso and started tracing the muscles of my back while I was sealing her to every inch of my body. She wanted me just as close as I wanted her and hell, I was making that want a reality. Moving up her body, I slipped my hands under her shirt while her lips were working with a skill that was pretty damn impressive.

It couldn't have been five minutes into our hot and heavy make out session when someone just had to interrupt us. "PAUL!" It sounded like Emily, or maybe Leah, yelling for me, but I wasn't moving an inch for anyone out there.

She pulled her lips away, startled and started straightening her tussled hair. "You should probably go." She said breathlessly.

"They'll get over it." I grumbled, breath across her cheek as I placed kisses down to her neck. She shuddered and her breath hitched as her body arched into mine.

My hands hadn't moved from under her shirt and I was running my fingers over the skin of her waist. She moaned lowly and turned into jello in my hands. I wanted to taste more of her skin but her shirt wouldn't let me go lower than her collar bone. I took her shirt and tugged it right off. The shirt was lucky I didn't rip it in half.

She gasped when her skin was met with the hot air between us and I stared down at her almost bare chest. She wore a little white bra that covered her B-cup breasts and her chest was littered with little marks. The most noticeable was on her right side, just under her ribs. I ran my thumb over it and looked down into her eyes.

"M-my dad, threw a beer bottle at me." She mumbled, looking entirely self conscious.

I froze, all of my muscles clenching at the thought of that asshole throwing a bottle at my imprint. The scar was three inches long, between two ribs and it couldn't have been a year old. I wanted to freeze time and fly over to her parent's house and kill that man for what he did but looking at her eyes, I could see she was more worried about the fact that she was sitting in front of me without a shirt on.

Before I could exact my revenge on the asshole, I had to let her know that she was the most beautiful woman in the world. She was trying to cover herself, but my arms were in the way. I leaned down, kissing the wide plane of pale skin just under her collar bone. Her arms were griping my shoulders as a moved down her body, between her breasts, making her tense up more. I didn't touch them, but damn I wanted to, I wanted to taste the skin and feel the soft mounds, but I knew she wasn't ready.

Moving past her cute little bra, I brought my lips to her scar and kissed it soundly. She quivered, digging her nails into my shoulders. I wrapped my arms all the way around her waist and held her close while I saturated the marred skin with my lips and looked around for any other scar that might need the same amount of attention on her mid section, but there was nothing. Glancing in the mirror I could see some on her back, but I couldn't start on those yet, my nerves couldn't take it. If she explained one more scar as the work of her drunken parents, I'd leave her just the way she was to go and wipe them off the face of the earth.

When I was sure I had given the scar its due attention, I moved my way back up to face Anna. There were tears swimming in her eyes and she was shaking a little. "No matter what they did to you, your still mine and I love every bit of you." I told her as softly as I could.

She bit her lip and nodded, relaxing only the slightest. I didn't want to give her, her shirt back, but I was thinking about it, seeing her still looking self conscious until she leaned forward and kissed the knotted scar on my chest.

"I love you," She whispered, her voice low but determined.

I felt my whole heart soar, just hearing the words come out of her mouth. I never doubted how she felt, just by seeing the way she looked at me but hearing it when I didn't expect to hear it for a while made everything that had been shitty, seem amazing.

"God, I love hearing you say that." I said, literally getting aroused hearing her over and over in my head.

She giggled as I started kissing her all over. Her face, her neck, her chest. Every inch of skin I could get my lips on was thoroughly covered. She was linking her legs around my waist and holding me as tight as I was her. She was happy again. I could feel it in the way her muscles were around me. She was content again, even half naked.

I pulled away from nibbling on her jaw line and looked at her sincerely. "You know I love you too, right?" I asked completely serious. I had to make completely sure that she knew that. She had to know that she was my everything, and then some.

"It's kind of obvious." She laughed.

And that's practically the best answer anyone could have come up with. She confirmed everything that I was worried about. That I did show her how much I loved her. "It better be." I growled before I took her lips over with mine for a deep kiss that made her shudder with whatever emotion it evoked in her. I was guessing something along the lines of passion because she moved her body with mine and moaned against me.

Being with her so close, with so much skin to skin contact, it felt amazing. We hadn't gotten this far before and while I would be willing to go further, I was still reveling in the contact with her I had. If she didn't want to go farther than this for the rest of our lives, I'd still die happy.

She was getting comfortable with my hands searching her body, with my lips following where my hands had been and dammit it was brilliant. Nothing else mattered. The Cullen's showing up didn't matter. My mother moving didn't matter. Even the rest of the packs little bullshit problems didn't matter. She eclipsed everything, her and her perfect pale skin, tiny waist and curious lips.

There was a bang on the door that nearly sent Anna out of her skin, and me into a rage, but I kept her firmly in my arms. "What are you two doing in there?" I heard Leah yell through the door.

I rolled my eyes, unlocked the door and stuck my head through a small crack. "Nothing that concerns you." I told her before shutting the door again and locking it before anyone could stop me. I heard Sam and Emily chuckling on the other side and my mother's defeated voice tell Leah, 'leave them be'.

Anna was blushing so much the rest of her body was turning red. "We can't stay in here forever." She whispered, not wanting anyone to hear. I didn't have the heart to tell her my brothers could hear us halfway down the road, not to mention smell us.

"We can stay until they leave." I said grinning, resuming my place between her legs and started placing light kisses over the hallow of her neck.

"Paul," She moaned.

I grinned against her neck. "That's my name." I said smugly, not moving an inch.

She choked on a laugh because I was sucking on a sensitive spot on her neck. "Your mom is going to make us pay for this." She mumbled.

"It'll be worth it." I said with a content sigh.

"Is there any way to get you to open the door?" She asked tiringly. I could hear it in her voice, she didn't want to leave, but she felt an obligation to help my mother. I was going to do my best to change her mind about that.

"Not until this house is empty." I answered firmly and with a sure finality.

She laughed. "No point in arguing then?" She said amused, tilting her head to the side, trying to use her feminine wiles to convince me, but dammit, that's what was keeping me where I was.

"Not at all." I said surely and went back to claiming her mouth with mine.

I'm not sure how long we stayed there, entangled like two sex-crazed animals, but when I noticed the sun going down and the front door shut and lock, I knew it meant the house was ours. With one arm, while our lips were still entwined, I picked her off the counter and opened the door, walking her to _our_ room. She squealed when I picked her up and tightened her legs and arms around me.

It was two strides to my bedroom door and I wasn't going to play around, I locked my bedroom door behind us. It was another two steps to the bed where I sat down, with her straddling me.

"Better?" I asked grinning.

"Paul, I-I" She stammered, looking around nervously.

"Tell me to stop, and I will." I said seriously, cradling her face in my hand.

"I don't want to." She said fearfully, sounding completely unsure of herself.

I had no idea what to do. Had she not said anything, I wouldn't have pushed anything. But hearing she was just as willing to go to 'all the way' made any little bit of control I had remaining disappear. Hell, my fingers were making their way to the front of her jeans as I tried to figure out what to do.

"Tell me what to do, baby." I said desperately. I'd do whatever she wanted. If she wanted me to stop and just cuddle with her, I would. If she wanted me to take her clothes off with my teeth, fuck, I'd do it without a moments notice. But I needed her to tell me, because if I did something she wasn't ready for, I'd feel as dead as a blood-sucker.

She let out a shaky breath and bit her lip, tracing the outlines of the muscles on my chest. "I want to try." She said with the most determination she could muster.

I nodded. "Okay," I murmured, holding her close.

It became a little more real then. More planned. I was starting to feel nervous about this. Following our hormones was one thing, but making the conscious decision to consummate our strange little relationship was something else entirely.

We weren't doing more than we had been in the bathroom. I'll admit, my hands were getting a little more grabby but clothes were still intact, until she reached down to my shorts.

I'll admit, when I lost my v-card when I was younger, I had a similar reaction to when the girl went to take off my pants, but I was surprised. This time, it was the thin, loving, fingers of my heart and soul trying to get me naked. It felt a little wrong at that moment, until she fumbled with the top button and zipper to a point where I was almost escaping. I never felt more relieved for wearing boxers then I did right then.

I flipped her onto the bed, as gently as I could in the heat of it all, and knelt down, kissing her flat stomach. She chirped, and clutched my shoulders again. I deftly undid the button and zipper of her jeans and tugged them clean off her legs. She gasped and stared at me wide eyed. I would have been worried that she was hurt, but her chest was heaving and her hips were wriggling, almost waiting for me.

I leaned over her, staying on my feet incase I needed to get off her, if that's what she wanted but her hands went around and moved to my belt loops and slowly pulled my shorts down until they fell to the floor. I kicked off my shorts along with my shoes and picked her up, moving her further onto the bed and on my knees, I took her legs to wrap around me again.

She looked at me expectantly and I almost thought I wouldn't be able to do it, not physically though. God every part of me, and I mean _every_ part, was ready to have her and all of her and all that was between us was my boxers, her little undies and that bra I was dying to take off. But still, she looked at me with such trust and devotion that I could have cried.

She must have seen the hesitation on my face because she sat up a little, reached behind to her back and snapped the little strap that held her bra on and slowly, painfully slowly, took the bra off and set it to the side, letting her pert little breasts fall out in front of my very eyes. There wasn't a mark on them and dammit I was glad to see it. If someone had marked her beautiful breasts other than me, I would have gone right back into a psychotic rage.

She reached up and held my face, kissing me because I was stunned. She really wanted this and who the hell was I to keep it from her?

I held myself just barely over her, keeping our bodies in constant contact but I didn't want to crush her with my full weight. I went straight for her breasts, the newest part of her body that I hadn't explored yet. Her pale pink nipples were tight and hard and just waiting for me. I kissed down the valley between her perfect chest the moved over the swell of her left breast until I got to the dark, tight nipple making her cry out and arch up.

"Paul!" She gasped.

"Yeah?" I asked breathing hard, moving away from her, waiting for her to say it.

She was heaving and I was staring at her. I couldn't stop, she was gorgeous. All of her. Neither one of us knew what to do at that moment. I knew what I wanted to do, but I wasn't sure if it was what we should do.

"Maybe we should wait." She offered, awkwardly.

I never thought the sound of hearing my imprint say that phrase would sound so amazing, but dammit, it did. I rolled to her side and nodded. I couldn't actually verbally agree with it, because it almost felt like a lie.

"Sorry," She mumbled, trying to cover herself up.

I pulled her close to me, feeling her breasts against my side and I kissed her again, only this kiss was less hunger and more love. "You don't have to say that, I still love this." I told her gently.

She settled next to me as I grabbed the bunched covers at the foot of the bed and pulled them over her. "Should we get dressed?" She asked confused. It was odd to think that she hadn't been in this situation before, that I was the only one to have gotten this far with her, but this was the only way I wanted it.

"Do you want to?" I asked trying to keep the disappointment from my voice. I loved seeing her this way, nothing to hide behind, just her and only her.

She thought for a moment then shook her head, tucking the blanket around her. I wound my fingers through her hair and listened to the calm and soothing breaths that came from my imprint. I watched her relax as she turned so she was laying on me and I saw her back again, the scars that interrupt the span of perfect paleness.

I reached down and touched the nearest one, a circular scar that was as light as her skin and slightly raised. She shuddered when I touched it. "What did they do?" I ground out, feeling my muscles tense again, just seeing the only things her parents ever gave her.

"Its not important." She said leaning back so I couldn't see them any more, but the constellation across her back was forever burned into my memory.

"They hurt you." I pressed.

"A long time ago. I healed from all of it. Its just marks now, to remind me that I survived the worst of it. Besides, I don't want you to get mad." She explained calmly then nuzzled into my neck and kissed the strained muscle that relaxed completely with the contact. "I want to stay like this." She murmured.

"I won't get mad." I tried to argue. Its true, sort of, I wouldn't be mad, because I would be on a new level of angry.

"No, you get quietly furious and as soon as you get the chance, you'll kill them in their sleep." She exhaled knowingly.

Damn this girl is a mind reader.

"They're not worth it. Besides, they don't want anything to do with me anymore. As soon as I turn eighteen, they were just a bad memory." She said surely.

I couldn't argue with that. Her birthday was only four months away and besides, it wasn't like I was going anywhere. I'd do what she asked, and let her fuck-face parents live for now, but if they did come near her, all bets were off.

"Alright," I sighed, wrapping my arms around her to keep her close, feeling a nap coming on.

AN: Review!


	25. Unwanted Guests

AN: Can I just say, I hate working. It bites the big one. Classes start soon too and I'll have even less time. I'll probably start focusing on the stories I can finish just to get them out of the way, but I promise, I'm not abandoning anything. Love you all and thanks for all of your support and the shout out on Phase Fics!

Chapter Twenty Five

Unwanted Guests

Mom demanded to have the party. And she demanded to have the treaty waived for a night to let the Cullen's to our house. Mom wanted the party to be a combination of her party, which was already a combination of her going away and our house warming, and Thanksgiving. She made the decision without telling anyone and when Sam tried to point out how dangerous that was, he almost lost his head. Not a pretty sight. So my mother's wishes won. Again. There wasn't a force on the earth that could stop her evil plans.

The house was practically empty because all of the things she wanted to keep were packed up and already at her apartment, and all of the things me and Anna didn't want were donated. Anna was already planning another trip to Seattle to get more furniture for the place. She wanted the party anyway because it was supposed to be a going away/house warming party. It was supposed to be for her as well as me and Anna, but for some reason my mother was the only one who had any say over the whole damn party.

Before the Cullen's even showed up, everyone was on edge, except for my mother. We were all waiting for the ton of bricks to drop and for the 'friendly' vampires to show up. It was mid afternoon on a cold, dark, damp day and my mother was buzzing.

"They're almost here!" She cried happily, bouncing between the rooms.

"Wonderful." I grumbled, pulling Anna as close as possible. She had lost the little bit of color she had on her face and had even started to shake.

I was not going to do well.

She looked beautiful though. She was wearing another dress. A brown one, that covered her knees and exposed her collar bone in a very sexy way. If it was any other day, my eyes wouldn't have left her body, but at this point, I was waiting for the root of all evil to walk into my house.

And it was going to be my house, in a few weeks.

"Paul, stop growling." Anna murmured, nudging my side.

I hadn't even noticed that I was until she pointed it out. I made a face and tried not to sound too animalistic. Until I hear the cars pull up. Everyone else was outside, waiting. They were excited for someone in that party, may it be Bella, Jake, Nessie or anyone else, while I didn't want to see any of them. I heard Jake on enough occasions to not care if I ever saw him again. Everyone already knows how I feel about Nessie and her bitch-tastic mother. The only one I'd probably have anything decent to say to would be Dr. Cullen. Only because he made sure I didn't die and managed not to hurt Anna.

Not long after all of the cars arrived, my mother rushed to the door and flung it open. "Esme!" She cried like a teenager seeing her 'BFF' for the first time in a month. It sickened me.

"Dana, you look great." Esme cooed.

"And so do you, as always." My mother sighed, forlornly.

I resisted the urge to gag. Esme turned toward me and smiled a little. "Paul," She said sweetly.

I grunted. They didn't expect more than that from me.

Esme's golden eyes turned to my imprint and I resisted grabbing her and bolting through the back door. I'd be able to keep her warm in the snow. "This must be Anna," She said happily. "I've heard a lot about you from Carlisle." Esme complimented.

"Nice to meet you." Anna chirped, clearly uncomfortable.

My grip on her shoulder tightened.

A few seconds later, Emmett barreled in with his blonde mate, with nothing but a scowl on her face. "Another imprint! Nice!" He cheered.

"This is Emmett and Rosalie." Esme introduced, smiling at her pseudo son.

Anna was as stiff as a board now and could only manage a wave.

"I thought you only imprinted on your own kind?" Rosalie asked snidely after giving Anna the one-over.

"Then explain the mutant about to walk in." I snapped back.

"Paul, I don't want World War III in my living room while it's still my house so knock it off." My mother warned me.

I grumbled under my breath and didn't say anything else, but I surely wasn't apologizing. If the tooth-pick bitch wanted to pick on my imprint, I was going to pick on her 'niece'.

Carlisle walked in with Sam and Emily, all of them looking pleased, and he was still the only one I didn't hate so much. Anna even relaxed when she saw him walk in. He walked over to his wife and smiled down at Anna. "How are you Anna?"

"Alright," She muttered, lying through her perfect teeth.

The rest of the pack and the Cullen's filed in until it was Quil, Claire and Nessie bringing up the back of the trail. Nessie had gotten taller, she was probably a head shorter than Anna and more than likely around ten in mutant years.

"Hi," She sang, bouncing up to Anna. "I'm Nessie," She said with her high pitched voice that made me want to claw my ears out. I'd never hurt her, and I wouldn't let anyone touch her, but she annoyed the hell out of me.

"Anna," She croaked.

"Why are you nervous?" Nessie asked confused, tilting her head to the side.

"She doesn't understand us." Edward answered from the corner. From the look on his face, he had been looking into her head.

I would have launched at Edward if Anna hadn't flinched at his answer and gripped my shirt. "She almost got her head taken off her shoulders by one of _your _kind, she's allowed to be nervous." I snarled at him.

"Daddy, is that true?" Nessie asked horrified.

I gave him a pointed look and waited. If he saw into Anna's head then he saw exactly what happened to her and he'd have to tell the truth to his precious daughter. "Yes," He answered tightly.

Anna looked more uncomfortable than ever and it wasn't because she was in a room half filled with vampires. Everyone was looking at her. I didn't care if anyone looked at me, but she was self-conscious about that kind of stuff. I needed to take the attention away from her.

"Can we drop it now?" I asked impatiently, looking around the room. All of my brothers and their imprints looked away. Jasper and Esme managed to find something to occupy themselves, but the rest of them didn't.

"You brought it up." Edward countered.

"And I'm finishing it, Eddie." I growled.

"Okay guys, no fighting in the living room." Jake tried to say calmly, putting himself between Edward and me, but standing in front of Anna, knowing she was why I was particularly touchy at that point.

I glared the sparkling fairy down. I'd launch myself across the room and finish the man in the blink of an eye if I had at least six of my brothers surrounding Anna, but they were with their own imprints. So I had to settle for glaring him down.

"Who wants to see pictures of my new apartment?" My mother asked quickly.

Slowly, everyone turned their attention to my mother as she played hostess. There were still a few side cast eyes toward us but I didn't give a shit. Anna had turned into my hold and her nose was pressed against my chest.

"Remember what I said about getting me out of here?" She whispered.

"I can get you to the other side of Washington in thirty minutes." I told her seriously.

She looked up at me with panicking eyes. "How about on the front porch?" She asked, starting to shake a little.

I just shrugged and started guiding her to the front door. A few people tried to stop us, mostly Leah and the other imprints and I moved them, save Leah, as carefully as I could and got Anna outside. She leaned against the outside of the house, not reacting to the cold weather at all and started taking deep breaths. I stood in front of her and brushed her hair out of her face and just watched her.

"You okay?" I asked stroking her face.

"I barely made it five minutes." She muttered, ashamed.

"Baby, you made it five minutes in a room full of things you're afraid of, don't rag on yourself." I pointed out, stepping closer so she was flush against the house and we were almost skin on skin.

She took in a deep breath and nodded, burying her fingers into my shirt. I could tell she was thinking about something, just by the way her lips pursed and her eyes moved.

"We should go back in." She said thoughtfully.

"You don't have to." I said wrapping my arms around her as I saw her skin break out in goose-bumps from the cold.

"I don't want to give them any more reason to stare at me." She said firmly.

She had a point. As always.

"Just let me know and we'll get out of here if you need to." I said, brushing her cheeks with my thumbs before I leaned down and kissed her softly.

She let me enjoy a moment to ourselves before she took her lips away from mine and pushed me back inch by inch. I walked back into the house ahead of her, with my arm blocking her from anyone else.

"So Paul, are you excited to have the house to yourself?" Esme tried to ask kindly.

"Tickled," I grumbled.

My mother rolled her eyes and leveled her hand with my head and thwacked the back of my skull. Sam swallowed a chuckle while everyone else in my pack had to hide their face to cover the laughter.

Esme was looking for something else to say when Anna glanced over my shoulder and gripped me a little tighter. "Oh crap." Anna muttered while she was looking out the window. I turned and instantly saw why.

Celia had just climbed out of her godfather's car and was walking toward the house.

Embry started twitching.

Anna detached herself from my side and touched Embry's arm. "Don't worry, give me a second." She said soothingly and walked through the crowd to the door.

I watched her walked out of the house and meet Celia. They talked for a little bit and it looked like Celia was about to go, but Anna said something and she walked with Anna back into the house. Embry was starting to panic a little too. I wasn't sure if it was because his imprint was walking in. Or because his imprint was walking into a house full of vampires.

"Everyone, this is Celia, my friend from school." Anna introduced, confidently.

There was a collection of greetings and Embry walked closer to her.

"Don't mind me, I'm just getting something." Celia said quickly, eying everyone.

Anna walked with Celia to our room and they came back out a minute later and Celia waved to everyone and Embry walked out with her while Anna took her spot back at my side, looking over my shoulder out the window to where Embry and Celia were outside talking.

"Embry can handle himself." I tried to tell Anna.

"Are you sure?" She asked worryingly.

"He's not going to fuck up in front of her godfather." I said about as convincingly as I could. Embry wasn't afraid of Adam, only her father, so it was a toss up at this point.

Anna still didn't stop watching. I had a sick curiosity about the situation too, and watched with her. I wondered what they were saying and almost used my sensitive hearing to listen when I saw Celia nod her head at Embry's impish smile and she went back to her godfather's car. Embry lingered outside until the car was gone and he walked back into the house with that goofy grin on his face and gave Anna an appreciative look.

The rest of the night wasn't so bad. Mostly because I stayed in the corner with Anna and whatever stray person wanted to talk to us. Bella and Edward avoided us and made Nessie do the same. They supposedly didn't want to expose her to Anna's 'attitude', according to Jake. That damn messenger almost lost his head, if Anna hadn't returned from the bathroom at that precise moment and sealed herself to my side.

When the party finally died down it was because Nessie was tired and half of the imprints were turning cranky. My mother bid everyone goodbye begrudgingly, but made Esme promise to visit when she moved into her place in Seattle. Everyone agreed willingly and within twenty minutes, everyone was gone. I was just happy to have them all gone.

Anna didn't seem all that relaxed, even when it was just her, me and my mother. She started cleaning as soon as the door shut for the last time. The house wasn't all that dirty since my mother cleaned during the party and most of the imprints cleaned after their hungry wolves and the vampires didn't eat.

"What are you doing?" I asked, leaning against the wall as I watched her wash the four dishes in the sink.

"The dishes." She answered almost stiffly as she scrubbed a plate harder than she needed.

I walked over to her and stood behind her, wrapping my around her middle and holding her close. "Come on," I said quietly, putting my chin on her shoulder.

She was still tense, even in my arms, when she normally relaxed, and I'll admit, I was a little hurt by it. She didn't stop. She finished the dish she had in her hand, rinsed and put it on the drying rack. She followed the same procedure for the rest of the dishes until she had nothing left to do. Mom had gone to sleep and the rest of the house was spotless. There was nothing left to be done.

"What's wrong?" I asked after she had finished scrubbing the sink.

Anna turned in my arms and looked at me with a frown, wrapping her arms around her stomach. "I don't know." She muttered, unsure.

It was another when of those times when I just didn't know what to do. So I just did what my instincts told me to. I picked her up and slung her over my shoulder, carrying her back to our room. I dropped her onto the bed. She started taking off her shoes and I stripped down to my boxers. She stood and tried to unzip her dress but couldn't reach, so I gladly took the zipper and pulled it from the nape of her neck to the small of her back and moved the straps off her shoulders and kissed the bare skin I exposed.

She took the dress off and walked to the closet hung the dress back up and threw on one of the tattered shirts hanging on the door knob. I sat on the edge of bed and watched as she shuffled over to me and sat on my lap, folding herself up so she was two sizes smaller than normal and hid her face in my neck.

I started rubbing her back and just waited for her to tell me what was really on her mind. I wasn't too worried about whatever it was because she didn't leave my sight the whole night, so no one hurt her physically or emotionally, other than being in a room full of creatures she was afraid of. She wasn't crying, or even afraid, just extremely conflicted.

"Are you going to sleep tonight?" I asked after a almost half an hour of just waiting. I was patient with her, but that really only lasted until my brain fell out of my ears, which was like twenty minutes.

"I just feel bad." She finally confessed, looking up at me from the shoulder.

"Why?" I asked completely lost.

She shifted in my lap so she was almost face to face with me and started spilling her guys. "I don't like them." She answered, half ashamed. "I mean, Esme was very nice and Carlisle was polite and I don't mind being around them, but the others…" She made a face and tried not to squirm. "Does that make a horrible person? I mean, Jacob imprinted on Nessie and she just made my skin crawl." She said shuddering.

"No, that makes you my girl." I said defiantly and firmly. She looked confused now. "I hate all of their guts." I said without a hint of remorse or guilt. There were gaps in my DNA where that stuff was supposed to be.

"Your mom likes them." She tried to argue.

"But my mother is completely insane." I argued right back. She sighed and tried to say something else but I put my thumb to her lip and didn't allow her to say anything else. "Those _things_ don't come 'round much and when they do, I hate it. If you never want to see them again, then they'll never be within eyesight, and I mean mine, I see for two miles without anything in my way, I'll send them to Russia if I need to." I said firmly.

"Paul-" She said around my thumb.

"Woman, stop being so stubborn, and answer this damn question, do you want to be around them?" I asked slowly.

I moved my thumb away from her mouth and she shook her head smally. "Not really." She whispered.

"Alright, no more vampires." I said easily. And yeah, it is that easy. I can tell Sam and Jake that they freak her out and they'll honor it.

"But Carlisle will still help you if needed." She said with a firm voice, with nothing to argue about.

I just scowled at the thought. I hated thinking about accepting any of his help, but again, I could not deny my imprint.

"Paul, promise me you'll let him keep you alive, because if anything happens to you-" Her sentence was cut short by a sharp sob.

There was a punch to my chest as I watched her try to fight back the tears, and losing. The look in her eyes was desperate and filled with pain, I hadn't seen that look since before I took her out of her hellhole and I hated seeing her there again.

"P-please," She stammered, shaking her head while I was frozen in pain.

I forced myself to move and took her face with my hands and stopped her and kissed her face all over. I didn't stop until I felt her stop shaking and the tears had disappeared, I was almost afraid to look her in the eye because I couldn't see her in pain again but when I saw her beautiful hazel eyes, all I saw was desperate hope.

"I promise, baby, I promise." I swore, my own throat tight with tears, but I tried not to let it show. I wanted to be her rock right now.

I pulled her back and threw the covers over both of us, holding her close to my side as I laid on my back. She ran her fingers over my jaw line, with her red eyes looking up at me with more calm than panic. She was okay now. Everything was okay now.

"Sleep," I said nudging her while my own eyes started to flutter shut.

"I'm not tired." She said linking her legs with mine as she propped her chin on my chest.

"So you're going to watch me sleep?" I asked confused.

"Turning the tables." She said smiling.

I chuckled and closed my eyes and drifted into sleep while she continued to stroke my face until I was submerged into dreamland.

AN: Review!


	26. Christmas Wishes

AN: I am on an updating spree as I am home sick with some kind of infection and a spinal headache. Fun! Anyway, there is a silver lining to this really doom and gloom cloud. I get to finish one or two of my remaining stories. Of course, this has a while yet to go, but I did want some progression and I hope I was able to do that. :) Thanks for reading and reviewing and I hope you all don't come after me with sticks.

Chapter Twenty Six

Christmas Wishes

There was nothing like Christmas morning. I always loved it and always looked forward to it. I made the mistake of asking Anna about her previous Christmas experience and she just shrugged. God, it sucked hearing more of the shit her parents put her through. My amazing imprint never had a Christmas to speak of. But between my mother and Emily, I don't even know why I worried about it. The little bit of time between Thanksgiving and Christmas was spent doing the most ungodly thing in the world, shopping.

I had plenty of invites from the guys to do something else, but I didn't want to leave Anna alone. And okay, she wouldn't be alone, but I didn't know how much my mother would try to expose her to new and exciting things that she may not be comfortable with. She had laid off the vampires, after seeing how uncomfortable Anna was but there were still lots of other things she could start with. Like gym memberships and antiquing and what ever else my mother's crazy mind could come up with.

"You don't have to come." Anna said with a sigh as I shoved my feet into my shoes. It was a few days before Christmas and they were putting the finishing touches on the presents and dinner. It was also my seventeenth shopping trip in less than a month. I was probably going to kill.

I didn't listen very well. "I'm going." I said stubbornly, trying not to growl.

She twisted her lips in that cute way and stood in front of me, holding my face to look the few inches up at her from my seated position on our bed. "Paul, please don't make me balance a treat on your nose while I walk out of here." She said pleadingly.

I'll admit, I was proud of the comment, but I still didn't want to hear it. "That's low," I said with a frown.

She laughed a little and kissed me. I picked her up by the back of the legs and made her straddle my lap and kissed her more deeply. I wasn't giving up that easy, if I wasn't going, she wasn't going. She sighed and rested her head on my shoulder.

"It won't be long, we're only going to Port Angles and Sam is going with us." She said, trying to convince me nothing bad would happen.

"So I can go, too." I countered.

"You don't like it, and its really wearing you down. Just take sometime to relax or hunt something. You're usually in a better mood when you've ripped something to shreds." She urged knowingly.

"You know me so well, I might get teary." I said stroking her jaw.

She sighed, with a laugh on her lips and looked me in the eye. "Just take some downtime." She said rubbing my shoulders, still trying to calm me down.

"I don't do downtime when you're out of my line of vision." I said seriously.

"Find something to do, I'll be back before dinner." She said as she ran her nails overt the skin of my shoulder.

"You're killing me woman." I groaned, wanting to pin her under me and never let her go.

"No, I'm not, you're just a big baby." She said with a knowing grin before she left my lap and walked toward the door, slipping into the sneakers she liked and grabbing the little purse she had.

At the door, with the black bag draped across her body, she stopped and turned to look at me. "Do not follow us!" She said firmly.

I watched her, feeling worse the further away she got from me. But I listened to her. I hated it there was a giant pull between what I wanted and what I had been told to do. I understood what it was like for a dog to be told to stay while the entire family left. It sucked.

I couldn't stay in the house, not with the smell of her everywhere. So I got dress and made my way around the Rez, walking. I didn't want to drive, again, her smell had permeated my truck. I really couldn't escape her.

I stopped by Jared house, but Kim was there and those two couldn't pay attention to anything but each others lips. I thought about going to Leah's but the thought made my gag reflex act up so I avoided her completely. Embry was still stalking his imprint, so that really only left Seth. I hated saying things like that, even when I knew it was only me in my head. It was still fucking depressing.

"Got out of shopping?" Seth asked amused as I meandered into his house and dropped onto the couch, watching him play the racing game he just borrowed from Jake.

"I was told to stay." I growled.

"And you listened." Seth asked confused.

"Can't really say no to her." I answered with a long breath.

"True," He said with a nod and we fell into silence while he played his game, which I greatly preferred.

Seth's gaming skills and company didn't distract me for long. I think it was something like ten minutes, maybe. I took up pacing his yard because he threw me out for making him lose a race when I was doing it inside.

When the first hour came around without Anna with me, I snapped. I was dialing her as soon as I felt my phone in my hands. The phone went straight to voicemail and I almost stoked out. I called my mother next, but she didn't answer either. I called Sam, promising myself if he didn't answer I was running to Port Angeles and tearing the place apart until I found her.

"She's fine Paul." He answered automatically, within the second ring.

"Why isn't she answering her phone?" I asked angrily.

"Your mother took it away while she went with Emily to find sheets." He answered with a sigh.

I felt a vein in my forehead bulge. "She's not with you!" I yelled. I was on the verge of phasing then, luckily in Seth's backyard.

"She's twenty feet away from me." Sam said flatly.

I felt a little stupid then. He did say she was with Emily and he was more likely to hang himself then let Emily out of his sights. "Can I talk to her?" I asked quietly.

"Fine," Sam grumbled.

I heard a little bit of Sam talking the background and the phone being passed around before I heard a little chuckle that I knew belonged to my Anna.

"Paul, I'm still fine. No blood loss. Still have all my limbs and still breathing on my own." She said smartly.

"Don't buy anything girly." I muttered defeated.

"Pink sheets, got it." She said before the line went dead.

If anyone else had said that to me, I would have Hulked out and probably killed, but because it was Anna, I just sighed and wished I was there with her. I wouldn't give a shit if she bought pink sheets, I just wanted to be with her.

I left Seth's after I had confirmation of Anna's life still intact and went back to my house. I was covered in mud at that point from the snow and the dirt, so I took a shower and with just boxers I dropped onto the bed I shared with Anna and started counting the minutes, the seconds really.

Everything seemed to suck without her. Before her, I could enjoy time alone like this happily, but now it practically killed me. I didn't want to be alone without her. Everyone else could fuck off, but I wanted her to stay. Being alone is okay when you don't know what its like to be with the person that makes you whole, after that being away from them is like taking out your organs and leaving them somewhere. It hurts, a lot.

With all my loneliness, I was still a little on the tired side. I still had to run my normal patrols even with the shopping and sleep wasn't easy to come by, so laying the bed, surrounded by her scent, I closed my eyes and fell asleep, with as much resistance as I could muster for the moment.

It was a few hours later when I woke up, I could tell by the darkness of the sky, and I almost went into a panic until I saw Anna was sitting on my hips. She smiled down at me, completely happy and took my hand.

"I'm sorry honey, but they didn't have pink sheets, I know your heart was set on them." She told me with mock disappointment.

I grinned and sat up. "I'll survive." I whispered huskily before I kissed her. I was possessive in my kiss, only because she had to be out of my sight and it made me even more possessive when she was away from me for any amount of time.

She wrapped her arms and legs around me and held onto me tightly. "I did miss you and your angrily sarcastic comments." She said smiled, pressing her nose against mine.

I ran my fingers through her hair, and ran my fingers over the crown of her skull. "So, I suppose I'll be coming along next time." I said smugly.

She shook her head. "I don't think there will be a next time for a while. We finished getting all of the gifts we needed." She told me as she stroked the outside of my ear.

"Thank God, or whoever else needs to be thanked here." I said with a sigh.

She laughed at me and rested her cheek against my jaw, giving me the access to take in a deep breath of her hair. She still smelled sweet, with only a hint of whatever store she had been in. I clutched the back of her neck with one of my hands and the junction of her hip and leg. She squirmed a little when I did that.

I chuckled at her and dotted small kisses across her neck. "Can we go for a walk in the snow?" She asked in a breathy voice that I couldn't say no to.

"You'll freeze." I countered, confused, trying to stay firm to my point of her freezing to death.

"Not with you." She said smugly, running her teasingly across my ribs.

She had a point, like always. "Might want to bundle up." I said with a grin and kissed her fully on the mouth before picking her up and moving her next to me so I could get up and put on pants, a long-sleeved shirt and boots. None of which I needed but just to make sure people didn't start freaking out about it, I did it.

We exited my room and my mom saw us. I groaned quickly.

"Paul! Come here for a second." She said with an order.

"Anna wants to go for a walk." I snapped back.

"It will only take a second and she still has to put her boots and jackets on." My mother said rolling her eyes as she walked up to me and grabbed my head, dragging me to her room and shutting the door.

"What?" I asked gruffly.

She had started digging through her jewelry box and was ignoring me. I was considering leaving when she finally stopped and looked at me.

"Now, I didn't give this to you sooner because we were all caught up in the drama, but I feel that you're going to need this, probably soon and I wanted you to have it before I left." She said with a very sneaky smile as she dropped her engagement ring into my hand.

It was old, it had been passed down through the family for decades. My father had the stone replaced and then after he left my mom replaced it again. The ring had a light pink pearl in its setting and had an old swirling design around its band. I could already see it on Anna's finger and my mouth went dry.

I heard my mother chuckle and she patted my shoulder to snap me from my trance. "Thanks," I muttered, feeling awkward.

She smiled in that motherly way and hugged me like I was still a little kid. "Make her happy Paul, you both deserve it." She told me as she smoothed my hair then kissed my cheek and left her room.

I was standing there, stunned for a while because she had really dropped that on me. Sure I had known since I saw Anna that I would be with her forever, but I did I really keep that in my mind at all times? No. Did I make the connection to marriage? No. I'm not the smartest guy on the block.

"Paul?" I heard Anna asked concerned from behind me and I scrambled to put the ring in my pocket.

"Yeah?" I asked turning around too fast.

"Are you okay?" She asked confused.

"Um, yeah, just my mom being weird. Ready?" I told her shaking it off, pretty smoothly.

"Yes," She said with a smile and she looped her arm around mine and started pulling me out of the house.

As we passed through the kitchen to go out the back door my mom gave me a knowing grin and said something to Anna that I couldn't really hear before we left the house through the back door. Anna took me to the backyard and started to the woods. She liked the woods, even in sopping snow and no leaves.

As I lifted her over a fallen log and she giggled and squeezed my hand when she was on the ground again, I was completely aware of the unassuming ring in my pocket, burning a hole straight to my heart.

AN: Review!


	27. Goodbye to Childhood

AN: Fina-fucking-lly. This took me way too long. I finally managed to sort out how I want this story to go and its got about another 14 or so chapters to go, so it will be an epic and it will have an ending. Working hard to finish 3 of my other stories though just because there endings are so much closer, but I will update as much as possible. Thank you for being patient and here is your update!

Chapter Twenty Seven

Goodbye to Childhood

There was no real reason for me to be sad or anything other than excited. I finally got to be alone, with my imprint totally and completely, but come Christmas morning and knowing that my mother would be leaving in two days I was still in a depressed mood.

It was just Anna, my mom and me in the living room, watching A Christmas Story after all the presents were opened. I was on my third plate of breakfast and Anna was folding all the clothes she got and my mother was gathering trash. She was completely packed now and her apartment was ready for her, she just was waiting for Christmas and then she was gone, to spend New Year's in her new place and leave me and Anna to our 'space'.

I was sitting on the couch, staring at the TV angrily. Anna climbed next to me and draped her legs across my lap, knowing exactly how to get my attention. "Stop looking so angry." She whispered, tugging on my hair.

I kept frowning and wrapped an arm over her legs and around her. "I'm not angry." I muttered.

"You are a bad liar." She pointed out as she ran her hands over the stubble that was on my jaw. She had been fascinated with it ever since I decided to grow it out.

I grumbled. "It's just weird. She's going and I'm not. I've always been with her." I tried to explain. She never had that bond with her parents.

She smoothed my shirt and studied it for a moment. "She'll still be close, maybe even too close you'll find." She chuckled.

I just shrugged. I would handle it like I handle most situations, brood and gripe as long as I could with Anna around. Which probably wouldn't be all that long.

My mom came back in from the garage and then went to the kitchen started cleaning instantly. It was going to be odd, not seeing my mom every day in the kitchen, or just cleaning and cooking in general.

Anna kissed my cheek, knowing I was getting more depressed at each thought I had.

"So, I was thinking of going around the Rez, giving a few more goodbyes and then leaving for Seattle." My mom announced as she sat on the couch with us.

Anna smiled and nodded. "Sounds like a plan." She said in her normal gentle manner.

"Yeah," I grumbled in agreement.

"Wonderful!" My mother said happily and went back to watching the movie.

I sulked a little more until Anna's giggles shook me out of it. She watched the movie intently, since it was her first time watching it and she had been informed it was a huge part of pop culture. I was just happy she wasn't taking notes like when she watched Star Wars. When the movie was over I went for more food and tried not to listen to what Anna and my mom were talking about. It probably wasn't anything good.

"Can you get me another pancake?" Anna asked louder than needed.

I nodded without having to look at her. I put six on a plate with lots of butter and a little syrup, since that was how Anna liked it the most and went back to the couch with two forks. Anna eyed me when I started eating.

"Wha?" I asked through a mouthful of pancake.

"I think you're an emotional eater." Anna said seriously.

My mother was thrown into hysterical laughter that took her a full minute to recover from and Anna giggled at the reaction mostly. "I'm eating your pancake." I mumbled through the food in my mouth.

She made a face and snatched one half of a pancake that was waiting to be devoured and nibbled on it like a hamster.

"I think I will go and start my rounds, I have a lot of people to cover." My mom said as she stood up from the couch and put on her snow boots.

"Tell them we say Merry Christmas." Anna said with a smile.

"And leave us alone." I added sulkily.

Anna smacked my chest.

"Its okay Anna, I couldn't hear what he said through all the emotional eating." My mother said smugly just as she ducked out, knowing full well I would have thrown the plate.

I started growling and Anna laughed, pushing herself up to kiss me, taking away whatever noises I was making. "Hey, I wasn't eating my feelings, I was expressing them." I tried to defend myself.

She giggled even more and curled up closer to me since it was cold in the house and I was better than a radiator.

We had few hours to ourselves and Christmas presents. I convinced Anna to try on some of the dresses for me so I could 'gauge where they should be worn' as one of my better excuses. There was a blue dress, that was really more for warmer weather, but god it was so sexy. It showed a large plane of her chest, not really cleavage, and hung on her perfectly. I told her that dress needed to be worn daily. She laughed at me and tossed a coat hanger at me.

I set up some of my tools if the extremely empty garage while Anna cleaned up some more in the house because I didn't need her catching a cold. I liked having a real place for my tools, and Anna's car since it was a million times nicer than my truck but it felt so damn empty without my mom crap. I almost hoped Anna would fill it.

I doubted she would. She had filled the book shelves we had initially gotten and my mom bought her two more and I got her countless books to fill them. But that was really the only stuff she wanted. She wasn't one for knick-knacks, or tea pots. She liked books. And she probably wouldn't curse them to the garage. I went back into the house and the house was just as empty as the garage felt. We had filled out the place with the normal furniture but really, it was nothing like when all my mother's shit was here.

"Paul!" I heard Anna call out from our room. I shuffled down the hall and into our room where I saw her struggling with a dress that I hadn't seen her open that screamed my mother. "I'm stuck." She said in a panic.

The dress wasn't tight on her, it was a shimmery silver that looked great with her skin and hair. I debated keeping her in it. "Stop ogling Paul!" She cried.

I tried not to laugh at her indignant tone and unzipped the difficult zipper, surprised I didn't break it. "So, where did you get this?" I asked, trying to be serious.

"Its from Dana, she gave it to me for a party she's having after New Year's at her apartment." She answered with a blush creeping to her cheeks as she shimmied out of the dress and disappeared into the closet to change back into her comfy, fluffy pjs.

"I like it." I said to her when she finally came out of the closet.

She was still blushing. "Its way too fancy." Anna said surely.

I leaned down and kissed her holding her tight. "Doesn't matter, I like it." I grinned.

She sighed and shook her head at me.

The door opened and my mom started dropping bags. "I'm gonna miss everything!" She cried.

"Oh god, I almost thought she wasn't gonna cry." I groaned as Anna rushed over to her.

My mother pulled her into a crushing hug and motioned me to join through tears. I shuffled over and wrapped my arms around the both of them.

"I can't believe I won't see your smiling faces every day." She cried as she held our faces in each hand.

I had to sit through an hour of my mother's tears before I realized I really wanted her gone. I had spent the whole day moping in an empty house and I was ready to be alone and possibly walk around naked. Its not asking too much.

She had gathered up the little bits that were remaining and wanted to head out before it got dark but there were still bags on the floor.

"What about these?" I asked as I picked up the two garbage bags.

"Oh, those are for you two from everyone. They don't want to bother you on your first day alone in here." My mom said with a wink.

I groaned and dropped them on the couch. Anna looked excited for more things to open and clean. She had been cleaning for a week straight.

"Hugs!" My mother ordered, grabbing Anna first. "Take care of him, and you can come down to get away from him if you need to." She said with a grin. I rolled my eyes.

"Be safe." Anna said with a little emotion cracking her voice.

My mother turned and looked up at me. "Please keep this place in one piece." She pled.

I rolled my eyes, again, and hugged her without provocation because it was going to happen anyway. She held onto me like the first time I phased and disappeared for a while. She held me to make sure I was there and to make sure I knew she cared. Its hard to forget with all the crazy shit she does.

"Alright, you're gonna have to leave." I said nodding toward the windows as I pulled her away.

"I know, I'm just having a hard time getting over all this. You're not a little boy anymore." My mother said as she took in deep breaths and patted my cheek.

"That's an understatement." I muttered, rolling my eyes.

She smacked me and gave Anna another quick hug before she moved to the door. "I'll call you when I get there, and don't forget about the party in two weeks." She said with a pointed finger to the both of us.

"Right," Anna said awkwardly. I knew she would rather forget about the party than put the dress back on.

"Okay, I'm going now." My mother said as she opened the door and slipped out, closing the door around her head. "Have fun guys." She smirked before her face completely disappeared.

I let out happy sigh. "Finally." I groaned as I grabbed Anna and pulled her onto the couch.

Anna curled up between me and the couch and attempted to block the chill that was seeping through the old house. "I guess its just us now." She murmured.

"For today, tomorrow everyone will be over. There is no privacy here." I complained, it was probably going to be Seth and Embry the most since they liked Anna and Anna liked them.

"So, we better enjoy the peace." Anna mumbled as she slipped even deeper into the couch.

"Pretty much." I grinned and held her, completely content to basking the momentary peace we had just been given when her head poked up.

"But we do have those bags to go through." She said with a grin.

I groaned and reached over the couch and pulled up both of the bags and dropped them on my chest and watched as she started going through them excitedly.

Emily and Sam had given us cooking dishes, filled with food. Leah gave us three, two-packs of Febreeze with a post-it note stuck to it that said 'for the wet dog smell'. Everything in the bags was mostly for the house but Anna didn't really care, she was just excited to have new things to put away.

She ran around the house for another thirty minutes putting everything in its 'perfect place' and I wondered if she had gotten a concussion when I wasn't looking, but then I remembered this was the first, proper sized home she ever had. I quieted my rage monster as best I could and stopped thinking of depressing shit and just focused on my imprint flit around the house like a jumping bean until she was finished and before she could say anything, I hauled her over my shoulder and took her to our room, dropping her in bed and burrowing under the covers.

"How do you like it?" I asked nervously.

"Like what?" She asked me curiously as her icicle toes buried between my legs.

"Your home." I answered, using the blanket to pull her closer.

She smiled, uncontrollably. "Its perfect." She grinned before she forced me onto my back with her lips.

AN: Review!


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